The Marionette
by PrettyLittleMasochist
Summary: Marionette Mathis is welcomed into the Wayne family with open arms. Gotham accepts her as it's princess and the D.A. calls her the perfect helping hand. With hauntingly blue eyes and the sweetest smile, she wears a mask that no one can see through and Bruce Wayne has no idea what he has let into his house. Jonathan Crane X OC
1. Two can keep a secret

_**Title- **__The Marionette_

_**Rating- **__M. (Strong Language, Intense Gore, disturbing imagery, Sexual content, suggestive themes, Jason Todd's mouth)_

_**Summary- **__Secrets can be hard to keep from those you live with, especially when you're hiding something as serious as a double life. Marionette Mathis is the princess of Gotham, adopted daughter of Bruce Wayne after Batman saved her life and a deadly assassin ready to move at her true father's call in a brutal, bloody battle for Gotham's soul. _

_**Disclamer- **__I do not own Batman. There are two songs mentioned in this chapter, "Better Dig two" by the Band Perry and "Hero" By Enrique Iglesias. I own neither. _

_**Authors Note- **__This story will be told in Nolan's world however I am using far to many comic book characters throughout the plot to place it in the movie category. Marionette is an OC that I am extremely proud of and despite the fact that after some exploring I found that her name had been used before I was not discouraged because she is very different from other OC's I have seen thrown into the Batman universe. __**Please R Your thoughts and comments are so appreciated. If you have any questions or ideas feel free to inbox me and talk it over, alright lovelies go on and read up. **_Anything in _italics _is a flashback.

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><p><em><strong>Chapter One- <strong>__Two can keep a secret..._

A set of dainty ivory toes curled, their owners leg hung lazily off the side of her bed as she groaned over the sound of blaring country music. 'Here lies the girl whose only crutch was lovin' one man just a little too much...' A pair of perfectly sculpted lips hardened into a thin line as her ice blue eyes squeezed shut. "Miss Mathis, I am afraid it is time to wake up now." Alfred's rather smooth aged accent passed through the door after two firm knocks of a gloved fist on sleek mahogany.

One vibrant blue eye popped open as the teenager in question fisted the white stain that was drapped over her body, pooling over full thighs, dipping over her calf as she rolled over, a small groan was emitted from her lips and she sat up. Mahogany curls frizzled up and fanned out around a heart shaped face. Another two knocks tried to over power the sound of the music 'I took your name when I took those vows...I meant it back then and I mean it right now...' "Miss Mathis, you are going to be late if you are not up and about in two minuets tops. Master Wayne expects you bright eyed and bushy tailed for breakfast at six-twenty."

"Six-twenty?" the girl questioned as her eyes flicked to the luminous radio clock. Blue eyes narrowed to read the small green box positioned in the middle of the slightly shaking black box. A mass of curly hair fell with the tilt of her head as her vision began to clear up and the blocky numbers came into a fuzzy focus. Six-eighteen. "Shit" hissed the seventeen year old as she threw her long legs over the side of her bed, white satin cascaded to the floor as the teen yelled "No problem, Alfred, I'll be right down! Tell Bruce that I'll be right down!" there was a slight rasp as her voice caught in her throat on that very last word.

"Yes Miss Mathis." Alfred stated in his usual tone followed by the sound of his leather shoes against cherry wood. The sound of his foot steps grew farther and farther away as Marionette's hand slammed down on the power button 'Gonna tell the grave...-' ultimately putting an end to the song that she'd woken up too. "Son of a bitch" cursed the blue eyed beauty as she crossed the room to her dresser. Small hateful grumbles were muttered under her breath as she skimmed her top drawer for a clean pair of panties. "What is today anyway?" she settled on a pair of blue lace panties and shut that drawer opening the second. "It'saaaa- sunday...no school...so why...Shit...Rachel" her fingers peeled away her yellow shorts, grey spanks and black tank top allowing a pair of full ivory breasts to spill into the open.

Alert eyes moved to the full body mirror that hung on her walk in closet's vast mahogany door. "Damn" she muttered as the bruises came into a full unblurred focus. "We gotta take it easier tonight girl." she quietly admonished her reflection as purple swelled over her right thigh and a rather large black bruise engulfed her exposed shoulder.

A small huff passed through her lips as she lapsed a bra that matched her blue panties with a snap of her nimble fingers. The outfit she'd come to a fast decision on for the day was rather simple, professional and made her look like a gothic doll. The skirt was respectable, knee-length after all, Marionette had a few bruises to cover. With that black skirt she wore a white blouse with linen cufflinks that showed at the end of the sleeves of her black form fitted blazer. Her fingers fastened the blazer's silver buttons and adjusted the broach that held her white linen scarf in place.

As she quickly applied her black eye shadow, eye liner and masscara with the precision of a diamond cutter in front of her vanity, her free hand rested on a black spotted handkerchief that she would use to prevent smearing, not that it occurred all that often with her steady hand holding the brush. "Miss Mathis" this time the voice belonged to someone else. Processing the words for a moment as she mashed her lips together to even out her lip gloss she came to the realization that it was Bruce. "Are you decent?"

Clearing her throat she parted her lips to speak "Of course, please do not hesitate to come right in, Bruce." her voice came out smooth as she looked herself over a final time and turned around on the heel of a black leather shoe, decorated with the same broach and white linen as her scarf. She had already worked her mahogany curls back into a tight bun, only a few stray curls hung around her ivory face. It was simply all that could be done in less then four hours. The girl's hair was always rather hard to tame and so she would often have to trap it.

"Good morning." he started out with a conspicuous smile.

"Good morning to you as well" Marionette spoke with the voice of an angel as her longer then average lashes fluttered. Bruce Wayne was dressed in one of his usual grey suites. His dark hair was groomed neatly and there was a slight twinkle in the corner of his brilliant eyes that always seemed to be a different color depending on his mood, the lighting and what he was wearing.

"I didn't come up here to get on your case or anything, I just uh wanted to let you know that some business came up and I can't join you for breakfast this morning. Rachel however, will be here in all of ten minuets and you look nice and ready to help her out today." a small hint of a smile never left his thin lips as he spoke.

"Alright, thank you and I understand a hundred percent about breakfast, Bruce. Sometimes things happen." her dainty fingers captured his calloused ones and a small smile spread out on luscious lips "Another time."

His forefinger grazed her cheek bone and he clicked his tongue with a swanky smirk "That's my girl, tomorrow, I pro-"

"Bruce, you don't have to do that with me." Marionette stated simply as her hands folded behind her back, the feel of linen on her skin was slightly natural but irritating just the same. "I'm not you know...one of your Russian ballerinas...not a date at all really, closer to a friend of the family. So...there's no need for that." she stated politely.

Bruce stared at the girl in shock for a moment "Marionette, I didn't mean to do that." his voice was smooth.

"It's really quite alright, Bruce. It becomes a habit after awhile, I understand entirely." hauntingly blue eyes stared at him through a curtain of long lashes. Bruce only nodded as if to say it wouldn't happen again.

"I will try to...differentiate when it comes to my adopted daughter." and with that his back was turned and he disappeared out the door. A small shiver ran down her spine and the corners of her lips turned down with distaste when he called her his adopted daughter. Legally, She was Marionette Wayne. Bruce had 'adopted' her when she was rather young and dropped at his door step by Gotham's so called Dark Knight. Mathis, being her real last name was the name that she asked the staff and Bruce himself to call her by because it was just that, hers.

As for a biological father, Marionette had no clue her parents were killed during the very last break out of Black Gate prison. That didn't really matter to her by much, her mother was a prostitute and her father a drinker. When her suburb was raided by that group of criminals...there were very few survivors...it was...one criminal...the doll maker...

_Flames reached for a black night sky that was dotted with withering snow flakes as buildings crumbled and trees turned into the earth. People ran and screamed, praying to god for their lives as if the end was coming. Maybe it was and she was just to young to understand it or maybe the shock of staring at her mother's dead body sprawled across the living room floor had the seven year old out of it. Her blond hair stained red as her blood swamped around her in a deep pool._  
><em> Hot crimson stained the toes of the young Marionette's white stockings and slowly, on her delicate heel she turned and walked out into the disaster. Through innocent ice blue eyes the little girl saw hell, death, women clinging to their children and it was through those same innocent eyes that Marionette saw him. Calm, composed, eccentric with a mass of red hair, a cloak draped around his shoulders and his thin lips made into a frown. Marionette tipped her head to the side, odd, he wasn't running or screaming the way everyone around her was. Out of no where her seven year old form was thrown hard against the pavement, it hurt, her body ached and she bit her lower lip to keep from screaming.<em>  
><em> Whoever knocked the small blue eyed girl over cried out before trampling her left leg on their way to hide in the nearest alleyway. A silent tear slid down her cheek as her ankle snapped under his boot. Falling apart, everything was falling apart, To Marionette it looked like the world would end but that was the opinion of an small seven year old. Never had she ever heard such dreadful cries or seen so many vulgar, gruesome images. To her right a man had a knife held to another's throat and when he lunged, the blood sprayed in a dangerous abundance against the alley wall. To her left a man in a trench coat was forcing himself onto a young girl who looked about 15. The teen cried out, red puffy eyes widened as the older man's throbbing cock was thrust into her from behind, one forceful hand held her down and oh the blood that visibly coated his shaft with every thrust...<em>  
><em> Gotham was burning…falling…as to the reason the child hadn't a clue, Marionette had only heard the window of my front room shattering before a pair of oddly dressed figures killed her mother right before her blue eyes. The child was young but smart and had hidden in a dark closet to keep from suffering the same fate. Everything hurt, her small frail body, her head, even the tips of her delicate shaking fingers seemed to rack with pain. Hauntingly blue eyes drifted to the dark sky, vultures perched on the branch of every tree as ravens' circled above her small body. Snow soaked into her night gown and the bite of the cold paid tribute to her tender skin. A truly gruesome end this world has come to meet. "Are you still alive, child?" his voice was a quiet rasp; his white eyes were ominous as he hovered over her and it was then that Marionette realized he had no irises. <em>

_"So lovely" he whispered as his finger tips brushed her longer then average lashes "It would be a waste of pure perfection to leave you to die here." and as his strong arms engulfed her small body, Marionette clang to her last hope. Not so much as crying once her body left the cold ground even though the pain in her broken ankle was immense. _

It wasn't until a year and a half after she started her new life with Barton Mathis as her father that Marionette had her first run in with the Dark Knight of Gotham City. Batman had found their hideout and broken in with a forceful hand. Barton had instructed Marionette to hide and being the good little girl she was, she did as she was told. After hauling her family off to Arkham, which had replaced Black gate, the Bat had returned to scene and found the child. Being the smart little girl she was, Marionette clang to him and kept her mouth shut. Of course he thought she was another victim and her being so young, the Batman had taken her to Alfred that night...it was only when she woke the next morning that she met the prince of Gotham and found herself in his care. Bruce was not her father, Barton Mathis was her father and always would be.

After giving him a few moments to exit the manner Marionette made her way through the vast corridors and down the numerous stair wells until she came to the dining room where Alfred stood behind a chair awaiting her occupation.

"Miss Mathis, you look lovely as ever." the old butler stated with a sincere nod as he placed his hand over his heart and bowed.

"Honestly, Alfred, you can drop the formalities and call me Mari when Bruce isn't around." her full lips peeled back to frame two rows of gleaming white teeth "Looks delicious." the girl's blue eyes roamed over the plate positioned on the table right in front of her designated chair. Breakfast this morning was consistent of pancakes, bacon and an omelet which smelled absolutely wonderful.

"Miss Mathis, I call you by your last name because it is respectful. I have known Master Wayne since he was a boy and still I call him just that, Master Wayne and I will continue to call you Miss Mathis."

Marionette took a seat and lifted a silver fork ready to dig into her omelet "I still don't see why." her voice was a bit muffled as she shoved a forkful of the bacon, cheese and mushroom stuffed egg into her mouth.

"Well what if out of the blue, I asked you to call me Mister Pennyworth?" questioned the butler as the young lady swallowed her first bite, an exasperated 'mmm' was elicited from the back of her throat. A reflection of her likeness for the meal.

"That would be pretty weird." She stated flatly as the sound of Rachel's high heels bounced from wall to wall. Marionette lifted her blue eyes to the older woman's form as she made her way down the narrow corridor, a slight sitch in her walk as he face seemed to age with every second.

"Mari, you know I don't ever want to rush you but we have to go." stated the brunette and Marionette stood quickly but cast her omelet a saddend gaze.

"I can always prepare another for you, Miss Mathis." Alfred soothed and Marionette swung around placing a firm kiss on the old man's cheek. The kiss left Alfred with a small pink kiss mark perfectly defined in lip gloss on his right cheek.

"Alright, what is wrong?" Marionette asked as she walked back down the corridor with Rachel at her side.

"We have to stop by Arkham before I take you down to the D.A.'s office. I think one of the doctors there is up to something weird." Rachel's voice was as strained as her face. Normally Rachel was a composed individual, idealist that she was and always the picture of her own kind of beauty.

"Weird as in illegal?" questioned the teen as the girl's made their way out to Rachel's little car. Marionette slipped into the passangers seat and ran her fingers over the polyester that encased the seat.

"As in a possible conspiracy with Carmine Falcone" Rachel's jaw set and I could tell that whoever she was talking about she had been dealing with for a long while and she was completely fed up with it all.

"Alright, Arkham is an exciting place for me to visit anyhow, I just adore that Dr. Leland." Marionette flashed a pretty smile and Rachel simply nodded as the car darted down the road.

"How's Bruce?" asked the brunette as the car came to a slow uneasy halt at a stop sign.

"You could ask him that yourself, you know. He is doing good though, busy, busy, busy as always." The blue eyed teen explained as she crossed one full thigh over the other.

As the car moved forward and Rachel kept her narrowed eyes on the road she answered "Bruce and I aren't close like we used to be and so it's just simpler to ask you. In truth I thought I'd lost him entirely until he took you in, that was when I realized that...he really didn't completely lose himself. Bruce saved you because you were an orphan...he understood...and I don't know...I guess you helped me regain a little faith in him." for the smallest inkling of a second, Rachel Dawes was genuinely smiling. "He really does have a big heart." Marionette added on. The rest of the drive was fairly silent. Neither of them spoke and the only sound was the sound of traffic and also the sweet melodic voice of Enrique Iglesias.

The song pulsated throughout the entire car. _'I can be your hero baby, I can take away the pain, I will stand by you forever, you can take my breath away'_ as they pulled into Arkham's parking lot.

It seemed that the moment they entered the dimly lit asylum a voice greeted Rachel with a terse "Miss Dawes, this is most irregular."

Rachel's eyes narrowed as Marionette moved to stand beside her. The man who had called Rachel out was not all that tall, he stood at 5'9 where Marionette stood at 5'5. He had a rather narrow body structure that was clad in a navy blue suit. A pair of small but full lips parted before Rachel could speak "I have nothing farther to add to my report." his eyes were the bluest of anything Marionette had ever seen, the color even rivaled her own and that was quite rare to come by.

However his focus was on Rachel who seemed to be seething "Listen, Crane." her voice was a polite threat "I have a few questioned about your report, now you have moved three of Carmine Falcone's thugs from their cells and had them declared insane to be sent to this asylum." her tongue was sharp and her posture unmoving as her lips formed her rapid words.

Joan Leland rested her dark skinned hand on Marionette's shoulder and pulled her away from Rachel and Dr. Crane. "Those two will argue until their hearts are content, my dear." she explained with a sweet smile on a pair of full lips.

Marionette simply nodded in response "Joan, I was thinking of maybe interning here this summer, do you think I could go back and look at a few of the patients?" her blue eyes held the other woman's gaze.

Joan had known Mari since she was young and therefore trusted her, not to mention without a key there was nothing she could possibly do to hurt anything. "Go on dear, just stay out of G-block for me, alright?"

The teen nodded with a sweet smile "Thank you, Joan." and turned her body to make her way down the long corridor. The lighting Arkham was what made people crazy, at least that was Marionette's philosophy, the lights were dim and flickered against the already irritatingly white walls. If they would fix the fucking lighting they might actually find it possible to rehabilitate someone.

The patients were kept behind thick steel doors. A small barred window was their only contact to the outside world. Their outside world however was a narrow hallway. "234" she mused as she kept walking and whipped her head from side to side "235...236..." and then she finally turned into C-block and said "546" placing her delicate fingers against the stainless steel she stood on her tip toes and peered in through the bars.

"Daddy" her voice rasped slightly.

"Marionette" Barton responded in his natural smooth growl "Is she dead?" he was referring to the last job he had given her, _Michelle Laksee, a 34 year old prostitute and consort to a pimp that was also the crime lord of a human trafficking industry. _"Did you make her pretty?" asked the red haired mad man.

"Yes, beautiful." Marionette responded. "Her boyfriend roughed me up a little but I'm okay, nothing too serious just a couple bruises. I killed him too."

"Such a good girl" he crooned "You are...the only one I can count on. I have another job for you tonight, Aloisa Hess...she is a prostitute as well...she's uh...got this little boy, little darling really but he can't be more then nine and a little birdy told me that she makes him partake in sexual acts with her clients...I want her dead. Make her pretty for me..."

"Yes, Father." the seventeen year old retorted whole heartedly. "I take it Marcel has the rest of the information I need?" another stray curl slipped from her bun as Marionette looked around to be sure no one was coming.

"Yes, he does. Be sure that they haven't destroyed our home. Visit whenever you get the chance...I'm not sure you see just how lucky we are that, that flying rodent took you to the Wayne Manor...you are at the heart of all information in the city...with that Dawes woman around you have access to the D.A. and so much more...as long as Bruce Wayne is the prince of Gotham you are the princess and so you have to keep playing nice for as long as possible...daddy loves his little girl."

"I love you too." She whispered sweetly understanding every word. As she moved to turn around she felt her heart leap out of her chest. Dr. Crane's blue eyes locked on her face from just a few feet away.

"Miss Dawes is looking for you, I am surprised to find you all the way back in C-block. Did something spark your interest...miss-" he paused as his rather dull demeanor settled.

"Mathis, Marionette Mathis and no." her voice was smooth as she shook his hand in one firm motion. "I was just looking around. You're Doctor Crane right?"

Jonathan simply nodded "Yes, now if you would please come with me, we can both get on with our day." he then paused and looked back at the teen arching a dark brow at her "Mathis, where have I heard that name before?"

As Marionette walked beside him she couldn't help but wonder who pissed in his cheerios' this morning. Did he honestly have to be such a dick? Jonathan then paused and looked back at the teen arching a dark brow in her direction "Mathis, where have I heard that name before?"

It then occurred to the blue eyed girl that he worked at the Asylum and may have recognized her name as her father's...Barton Mathis...quickly she tittered away from the subject with a smooth calm demeanor "I think I saw your picture on one of the walls somewhere in B-block, so you must be a big deal, am I right?"

"How very observant of you. I am good at what I do." a smug smirk tugged at the corner's of his wormy lips. _Oh_ the thought fluttered to the forefront of Marionette's mind _He's one of those guys. _

"Marionette let's go! We've got work to do." Rachel yelled motioning for her to come quickly. Marionette smiled sweetly at this woman she called her friend and made her way toward her, never once giving that prick doctor a second glance. She would go with Rachel to the D.A.'s office and she would greet Gordon with a smile and a hug if he was near the police station. Most of the day would be spent running to get sticky notes to other parts of the firm and the occasional cup of coffee for Rachel's rather touchy feely boss. When Rachel finished up she would take Marionette back to her home and watch her pass out on the those endless hours of watching Rachel file cases and look over evidence that she was never supposed to know anything about while pretending to be asleep would come about.

Marionette knew all of this because this is how it happened every time she helped Rachel out for the day. Except tonight...she would leave as soon as Rachel was asleep and go pay tribute to her real family...and her real job...which would tonight consist of the murder of the prostitute Aloisa Hess.

_**Authors Note- **__I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I will update soon. Now throughout the history of the comic, there have been three different versions of the Doll Maker and I want to pay tribute to them all and so I have spilt them into three different characters that will keep all of their qualities but co-exist on the same timeline. Marcel, Barton and Anton are not OC characters they are just 3 versions of the same character, all of which are wonderful and deserve some notoriety. Please let me know what you think. Review for me. _


	2. If one of them is dead

_** Authors Note-** Thank you so much for reading. Again, reviews are much appreciated. I really do hope you are all enjoying this story. On with the second chapter. _

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><p><em><strong>Chapter two-<strong> _If one of them is dead...

_"Life and death, will always lead you into love and regret but you have the answers and I have the key to Bernadette"_

_~ IAMX_

A pair of leather shorts slipped up the owner's full ivory thighs to cover a pair of black spanks and compliment the white leather corset that hugged tightly to her torso. Sneaking out of Rachel's little pent house was never too hard for the teenager, Rachel was never suspicious of her and had no reason to be and so she slept like a rock. Sneaking back into Wayne manner would be too risky and so she always kept her 'work clothes' safely tucked away under her old bed in Barton's hideout, her home. "Big sis." crooned the voice of Anton as he rapped at the door, his pungent fingers curled into a fist as he did so.

To answer his call Marionette walked across the room as her thin fingers fixed her hair into a mahogany ballerina style bun. The sound of her heavy white leather combat boots bounced from wall to wall and echoed with the screeching wood that built the family's hideout. "It's open" she stated rather irritated with a curl that simple refused to conform to her wishes.

The little imp looked up at her with his beady little eyes that were so light brown they looked crimson even through his long, feminine blond lashes. "I was instructed to give you this." He reached his short arm out, a rather chubby hand clutched a thin cream colored folder.

Marionette took it with a sweet, sincere smile with a graceful bow of her head in thanks "It wasn't too hard for you to get ahold of was it?" asked the blue eyed girl as she knelt down a bit, falling back on her haunches to sit right at her little brother's eye level.

"Oh no, no, no" he tsked with a wag of his chubby little index finger "it was really quite simple, the young lady was not all that secretive. Such a shame. "his lower lip stuck out in a pretend pout for only a few seconds before he burst into a monstrous cackle, a cackle far too big for someone his size "She really is a rather unattractive woman, Big sister you should do your absolute best to…doll her up." As the eerie statement passed through the younger's lips a firm hand with long boney fingers came to rest on the girl's exposed shoulder.

"Marionette, your shoulder." Marcel whispered causing the girl to rise to her feet. Marcel towered over Marionette, he was almost as old as Barton and had lost all of his hair awhile back but Marionette could only assume his hair was red at one point in time, the same as Barton and Anton's.

"it's nothing, just a little bruise, an occupational hazard." Her full lips framed her white teeth as she offered her older brother a pretty smile.

His cold fingers ghosted over her swollen skin as he grimaced lightly "You really should come home more often, Anton and I get rather lonely without you around.

Before the teen could respond a childish squawk sounded from behind her like a siren "When are you going to break father out of Arkham?" Anton's short arms flailed as the left strap of his overhauls fell over his shoulder.

"The moment he gives me the order to do so. Understand little one that father needs to rest." Marionette's body turned around and her dainty hands cupped her little brother's chubby cheeks. Anton only nodded in response and pushed his sister's hands away to make his way back to his little workshop, leaving with the promise of later impressing father with his latest project. Anton's workshop was really just a small room that was probably at a point in time a walk in closet.

"Are you doing alright in Wayne manner? No one suspects you do they?" Marcel asked as his lanky body leaned against Marionette's old dresser.

Mari's hands found her full hips as she arched a dark eyebrow at him "You have so little faith in me, I'm offended. Of course they don't suspect anything. As far as Bruce is concerned I am his sweet, grateful adopted daughter and have been for the past nine years. I've even got his little lady friend down at the D.A. in the palm of my hand not to mention one of the doctors at Arkham. I'm Gotham's picture perfect little princess…of course they don't suspect a thing. They have no reason to." Her words were said with a sharp tongue and an arrogant smirk.

Marcel's eyes then lit up with a sudden realization as if he'd just remembered something important "There is a doctor at Arkham, I want you to be careful around him. Crane doesn't look like much but he's got a few connections to some dangerous people…the Scarecrow isn't a guy to fuck with, do you understand? All the creational you have worked so hard to earn will go down the drain if you get on his bad side and he declares you insane the way he has been Carmine Falcone's thugs."

"Crane?" Marionette questioned with a quirky smirk as she thought back on her most recent run in with him. It then occurred to her that Rachel had mentioned a conspiracy involving a doctor at Arkham and Falcone. "That shmuck isn't going to get near me…I'm always three steps ahead and I'm the one with the leverage here." She gestured to herself with her thumb in an aggressive manner.

"Do I even want to know?" Questioned the older as he eyed his young sister. Finally managing to get her hair up into her ballerina bun, Marionette clicked her tongue and turned around on her heel before swiping up her porcelain mask.

"Listen I can't talk now, okay?" stated the beauty as her delicate hand pushed the old door open "I've got a doctors appointment tomorrow so this can't be another all nighter. Hemophilia is nothing to laugh at in this line of work." behind her mask she tried to smile, but inside Marionette knew that her illness was no joke.

"Be safe" Marcel said at the same time young Anton rushed his chubby arms around her waist. Pressing his nose into her exposed belly, the child muttered something incoherent but Mari simply hugged him back and made her way out of the hideout.

**_OOO_**

"Well" a sadistic cackle escaped the most beautifully sculpted lips. "Aren't you just the prettiest little tragedy?" malice laced the blissful voice that flowed from an ebony painted mouth. The lines of black emphasized her pert heart-shaped lips, the top lip being thin with a graceful dip and the bottom being full.

Ivory fingers pressed over the woman's emerald eyes, tears wetting the tormenters skin. Tightly wound ropes burned into the woman's wrists as her muscles tensed. The assault had been going on for an hour now. The victim was a nobody, a prostitute named Aloisa Hess. Even if the gag in her mouth wasn't bruising the corners of her thin lips and someone could hear her scream...no one would be coming to her rescue. "Shh" The doll faced beauty holding the carving knife hushed sweetly "I promise, Aloisa, were almost done"

Moonlight shined on the blade as the tip of the carving knife prodded the skin beneath Aloisa's green tear filled eye. A small drop of blood slipped down her cheek like a hot red tear as the woman whimpered into the gag. The crimson drop joined the lines that had been cut on either side of Aloisa's mouth to give the impression of a puppet. "Don't be such a baby now" whispered the killer doll from behind her porcelain mask. A strangled scream escaped the woman's throat only to be muffled by her gag. Marionette's careful hand turned the knife careful not to dig into her victims cheek bone and mess up her masterpiece.

The old floor boards creaked beneath pearl white boots as the doll backed up tipping her head to the side as if to examine her work. Beautiful, simply beautiful. The womans ivory face had been cut cleanly, small dabs of a crisp white handkerchief had served to avoid the smearing of blood. A tear drop had been carved just below her left eye, curved to perfection and the lines cut into her mouth were even and perfectly straight. The look of pure anguish in her emerald green eyes only served to add to the effect, what a pretty picture.

"Nice" whispered Marionette as she moved her fingers to her chin in a thinking manner. One thing was off about the image...oh yes...the gag. The blood stained linen piece was simply unsightly and Marionette strided forward just to rip it from Alosia's mouth. The corners of the auburn haired girls lips were bruised black and blue and she gasped for a breath, sobs poured from the very back of her horse throat. The girl would not dare scream for help. Nor would she dare beg for her life.

An auburn curl slipped over her face and Marionette quickly pinned it back with a flick of her fingers "Curly hair really can be quite difficult to deal with" said the mahogany haired beauty "Trust me" she gestured to her own perfect ballerina bun "If this got wet...I'd be picking through it for hours just to get it to lay down again" her calm voice, blissful and sweet was still laced with the most brutal form of malice that made it it's own sound entirely. Her free hand slipped back into her own hair, fingers clasping around a pearl pin and with one fluid motion she transferred the pin from her hair to Alosia's "Much better" her voice was gentle "Now..."

"Why are you doing this?" whimpered the prostitute. Her voice was a soft rasp. She hadn't the strength to scream out or even cry anymore. Not after the torture Marionette had put her through. If it wasn't enough to strip her naked and carve up her face, Marionette had also personally pierced her back up and down on either side of her spine and run a pretty black ribbon through it, tying it into a rather magnificent bow at the finish. All of her toes had been broken one and a time and then folded underneath the pads of her feet, made to resemble beautiful lotus flowers.

Removing two decorative rods from the little pouch she wore attacked to the sash around her waist Marionette smiled behind her mask and leaned forward, staring down at Alosia's agonized face through eye holes made of durable porcelain. "Shhh" hushed the doll as she pressed the sharp tip of one pin beneath the girls lower lip and pushed it through the upper with one motion "Yes" she said sweetly "That looks nice" the second pin was pushed through swiftly to avoid a lot of bleeding out. The two pins made an X through the girls thin lips. Her skin swelled as if to reject her new gag.

The sound of a quiet whimper made Marionette look over her shoulder. The child was small, meek and had chubby cheeks that gave him the appearance of a Gerber baby. Sparkling emerald eyes that matched his mothers filled with tears as the killer doll walked toward him, her heavy white boots made a thudding sound that resonated throughout the entire shack. It carried in the darkness and bounced off the walls "She doesn't deserve you" Marionette whispered to the boy as she placed her delicate hand on his head. His soft brown hair seemed to kiss her fingers as she kneaded it repeatedly, letting the strands slip over her skin "A mother who would allow you to live in this shack...who would allow you to starve...who would make you commit sexual acts against your whim...as I know she has...does not deserve you..."

The nine year old looked over Marionette's shoulder and bit his lower lip. He had never hated his mother...not even when she made him do things he did not want to do. His doe like green eyes assessed his mothers condition. Her back had been forced into an arched position, thick metal rods had been shoved through both of her nipples, blood stained ivory in a small red stream down her pert breasts below the puncture wound. He looked to her disfigured feet and then her carved up face, the silencing X that shut her lips and then the bow that decorated her back. A puddle of blood had formed beneath her chair. A rope skillfully wound around her wrist that laced around each delicate finger caused her to look even more vulnerable. Crimson trickled down each bent out of shape digit and dripped to that grisly puddle. The child shuddered at the sight and looked away.

Cold porcine pressed against the small boys chubby cheeks like a kiss from a ghost and the killer doll was gone.

As Marionette walked down the fire escape she sighed a long drawn out sigh. The metal clanked rather loudly beneath her heavy white combat boots and she peeled the white linen warmers from her hands, one finger at a time. They to were soaked with that woman's blood and she would need a new pair before her next assignment. Gotham needed a different form of cleaning crew. Of course police would spend their time trying to snuff out maniacs to stick in a cell at Arkham asylum but those maniacs weren't the real problem.

Maniac's aren't always born and it seemed in Gotham City, maniacs were made and of course people went mad! The way these 'normal' people let their children play in the streets while they stay out all night and snort cocaine, it's disgusting! The government allows the people to be uneducated or close to that and then acts surprised when their citizens do not abide by the laws and then punish the problems they created, hilarious!

Maniac's are the supposed core of problems but would people be going mad if the city wasn't so corrupt? No. The source of the problem had to be eliminated and that is what the Doll Maker wanted to do. Teach a lesson and set an example. The goal was to exterminate Gotham's filth...filth such as little miss Alosia and those like her. By allowing her child to suffer, Aloisa was adding to what made Gotham such a scary place...a place where people lose their minds...and now that boy would go to foster care where he would hopefully end up in good hands.

"STOP!" cried a timid voice. Marionette turned around on her heel and found herself looking at the nine year old. His face was red and his emerald eyes were puffy with tears "Why...why?" he sobbed out loud "Why did you do it?" his tender voice screeched into the night.

Marionette exhaled against her mask and walked toward the small boy, kneeling down before him she lifted her mask from her pale face. "Listen kiddo" her voice was calm and her lips moved slowly to form her words "You're better off now. That woman was never going to give you what you need and I can tell your a strong little boy." She placed her hand on his head much like a father would after his sons first ball game. "What's your name now?"

The green eyed boy tipped his head to the side unable to comprehend what she was saying. This woman had just killed his mother and now she was patting his head like the father he never had. "I..its" he sniffled as tears soaked his chubby cheeks "Its Na..ana...Nathan" he said through his tears.

"Alright Nathan, the one good thing that bitch ever did was give you a sturdy name." Marionette said softly and tipped the child's chin up "You deserve better...just because someone has a baby doesn't mean they deserve one...but every baby deserves a mommy and daddy, understand?" she questioned, her brilliant blue eyes searched his emerald ones.

The child simply shook his head and Marionette sighed "You will one day" the sound of sirens caught the doll of guard. She had been almost positive that no one would call the police until the next day but the neighbors must have heard the bitch screaming. "Nice meeting ya kid" Marionette said softly before standing up and running down the long dark alley way. There was almost no chance of them actually catching her. She'd never been caught before and if that child tried to give a description of her face he would probably just say she had blue eyes and dark curly hair. That wasn't enough to narrow her down as a human being.

Still little Nathan could point them in her direction. She would have to find a place to hide for a bit. A small breath escaped her lips as she rounded a corner, the sirens stilled screamed out in the background as brilliant blue eyes looked for the poor sucker who left their window open tonight. Her eyes locked on the cracked window of a second story apartment and she smirked. It was a rather nice building. She wouldn't even have to do much climbing...there was a fire escape leading right up to the window. No work at all.

The metal clanked beneath her boots and she bit her lower lip a bit roughly wishing she'd worn anything but her combat boots tonight. It didn't matter even if someone did hear her it wouldn't be in time to stop her and she would simply kill who ever tried to get in her way...even if the Doll Maker would be a little peeved at her for going outside the lines of her assignment.

Delicate ivory fingers pushed the window open just enough for her to climb inside one leg at a time. Her eyes scanned the bedroom she'd stepped into. It was a fairly small area. A twin sized bed was smashed into a corner by a desk covered in various notebooks and broken pencils.

The carpet was an unsightly red color and she pressed her ear to the window listening to the sirens grow more and more distant. Good. Very slowly she turned away from the window and walked over to the cluttered desk. The writing on every paper was almost unreadable. The very definition of chicken scratch and she lifted up a green spiral notebook, flipping it open she started to skim over small notes containing information about patients at Arkham Asylum. "Whose apartment am I sitting in?" she whispered to no one in particular.

Setting that notebook down she opened up a drawer and grabbed up a rather unorganized cream-colored folder. Opening it up she started to read over a formula for some kind of toxin. The words '_Causing the victims worst fears to surface' _jumped out at her and she smirked. Maybe this was the place to break into.

A rough calloused hand snatched her delicate wrist up, jerking her body around she found herself staring into the most brilliant blue eyes "You're Barton's little girl" Jonathan said rather flatly "You were missing last time I chec-" those eyes narrowed as if he'd come to some kind of realization. "No...you're Wayne's little girl. I knew there was something wrong with you...the moment you walked in with Rachel Dawes."

Marionette scowled at him and tore her wrist away, the folder still in her tightly bound hand, there was no way he was going to ruin all of her fine work. Her eyes then shifted to the folder in her arms. "You're going to keep this our dirty little secret, understand?" questioned him slyly "And if you don't...I will expose you for what you are." that lovely voice of hers turned to a poison as her full lips pealed back of her white teeth. "Not a doctor, not a psychiatrist...not anything but a sad scared little man whose in over his head with the sharks. I know about the conspiracy" she decided to not relay her information about his being Scarecrow. Sometimes information needed to be withheld as an ace in the hole. The seventeen year old was slightly irritated with the fact that he'd called her a little girl when she was damn near an adult.

Her blue eyes watched him swallow hard. "Listen" Jonathan stated flatly, his hand coming to grip hers once again "Go home. Keep your mouth shut and I will do the same, little girl" his full lips parted slowly to form his words. Jonathan knew that he would be expected by his employer to kill the girl however she was a bigger deal then Falcone's men. This girl would be missed. The world was simply to small for another one of the Wayne family members to disappear. "Go home" he repeated and Marionette obliged with a smile.

"Gladly" said the doll as she flipped her body around and thrust her heel into his jaw. Jonathan groaned falling to the red carpeted floor. A low groan escaped his throat as she grabbed the three notebooks left out on his desk and made sure to tuck the folder in her hand securely into one of them. The fire escape was loud beneath her feet and she bit her lower lip and all but jumped the last seven steps. The night air was suddenly freezing and a curl freed itself from her bun. Once she was securely on the ground, her blue-eyed gaze flickered back to the window where a certain Jonathan Crane glared down at her with a look that said 'I'll be seeing you again'


	3. That Smile

Authors Note- Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read my little fic, for those of you who do not know this already, Marionette is hemophilic. Hemophilia is a serious disease in which one's blood does not clot. Hemophilia lowers blood plasma clotting factor levels of the coagulation factors needed or a normal clotting process. Thus when a blood vessel is injured, a temporary scab does form, but the missing coagulation factors prevent fibrin formation, which is necessary to maintain the blood clot. A hemophiliac does not bleed more intensely than a person without it, but can bleed for a much longer time. In severe hemophiliacs even a minor injury can result in blood loss lasting days or weeks, or even never healing completely. In areas such as the brain or inside joints, this can be fatal or permanently debilitating.

* * *

><p>Chapter three- That Smile...<p>

Bruce moved his long fingers through Marionette's long curly hair as she relaxed in the plush cushioned hospital chair. "It's alright now, Mari." He soothed as her blue eyes fluttered closed. "Don't tense up, it will only make It worse. "

"Is she ready?" asked Doctor Schulyer, the sound of his smooth voice was no comfort. Marionette nodded slowly for if she were to speak she knew her voice would shake. "It's alright now, Mari, you can trust me." Wasn't that the truth? Due to Bruce wanting to keep the hemophilia a secret as badly as Marionette, Doctor Schulyer had been tending to Marionette since she was brought to Wayne manor. One of the very few people who knew her secret.

The needle pierced her vain and she sucked in air through her teeth. It didn't hurt after it punctured everything but prior to that it was a pain she could go her entire life without ever knowing. A burning feeling raged through her body and Bruce continued to run his fingers through mahogany curls. His hands soothed her the way one would sooth a child. "It will all be worth it." He assured her. In truth it already was. Prior to receiving treatment, Marionette's life expectancy was only age of eleven. She already had an entire six extra years to be grateful for.

"Are you feeling okay?" Bruce asked as he took a seat on the stool her feet were currently propped up on.

Marionette's pink lips pulled into a weak smile "For now. My arm will hurt like crazy later though." A petty mahogany curl fell over her shoulder as her free hand moved to tug the hem of her white button down.

"I know, just remember that it's worth it. Alfred and I plan to enjoy your presence for a very long time. "His gaze held hers and for just a second…a twinge of pain slammed a pin into the girl's heart. Guilt always quipped her entire body when Bruce said things like that.

Shifting her free hand to his arm, Marionette leaned over and gave his knee a playful shake "Don't go soft on me now, Bruce." For a moment, that sweetness in her voice was crippled, but the emotion still existed in her blue eyes and so even Bruce did not see her mishap. Emotions…such an easy slip up when one is only human….

"You look tired." The billionaire spoke softly as he covered her hand with his own.

Marionette's physical response was to squeeze her adoptive fathers hand "Treatment always makes me a little dizzy." Her voice swooned slowly. "You don't look so good yourself, Bruce. Something bothering you?" longer than natural lashes fluttered as she stared at him through the bluest eyes.

"Nothing more than usual. I do want you home before dark until they catch this Jack the Ripper wannabe. Okay?" his eyes went from soft and weary to alert in just seconds.

"Jack the Ripper wannabe?" Questioned the groggy teenager as her head lulled to the side. "Bruce, the murderer is only after prostitutes according to the media. I am perfectl-…"

A large hand with long, thin fingers came to rest on the side of her ivory face "I am telling you this because I love you. After that maniac killed Jason…"

"Bruce." The girl pursed her lips admonishingly "Jason was murdered. You did all you could have for him in his life, you gave him a home…raised him…loved him…neither of us know what he was doing at that old warehouse…neither of us could have saved him even if we had been there. You and I are still alive…so" she breathed, catching her second wind. Talking for more than a few phrases always got harder after that needle was in her arm. Her blood practically burned in her veins. "Don't dwell on it. He's gone."

When Bruce let out a long sigh, Marionette knew she'd won. Just a little farther…she told herself and wetted her lips to speak, "I will be in before dark, if it will make you feel better. " her lips turned up into the sweetest smile she could muster.

"Thank you." Bruce responded slowly "I know Rachel keeps you busy." A few strands of brown slipped from where he'd combed his hair over and Marionette's free hand lunged with a python like reflex to fix it upon it's falter.

Being hemophilic meant that falling down the wrong way could result in internal bleeding that could potentially end her life and so Marionette became very particular about her footsteps and the movement of her body, balancing the awkwardness of it out with elegance to make it appear almost natural. Of course after a while of being so particular about the way she moved, walked, ate food, held sharp objects and shaved her legs, other OCD's followed to create one very, very particular female. There could be no flaws or Marionette would have a break down.

Bruce caught her dainty hand in his long fingers and she bit her lower lip "Sorry…um…should I see a doctor for that too?" her voice could have almost passed for meek.

Bruce only shook his head and let her hand rest peacefully in her lap "No, not unless you want to, your OCD is more of a preference then a problem; it's just something you've gotten used to. It also keeps you from bumping into things and hurting yourself severely. I don't see any reason for you to try and be rid of it"

A small smile crossed her lips and she let her head fall back, long mahogany curls cascaded over the back of the chair. It was kind of weird, her OCD was essential to her survival.

The session lasted its usual five hours. Bruce seemed to want to talk about nothing more than the recent murders of young women…there were times when he would catch himself and move into talking about hosting a fundraiser or buying something as useless as another hotel or possibly going on vacation somewhere far away. No matter what he changed the topic to, it always came back to crime. Sometimes Marionette wondered if Bruce knew how to have a normal conversation outside of a date. As for his crime obsession, she'd always figured it had something to do with his parents being murdered.

When Marionette slid into the passenger seat of Bruce's sports car she let her head fell back. Her arm felt like lead. "Does it hurt?" asked the boy billionaire as he shoved the key in the ignition.

"Only immensely." Retorted Marionette as she bit her lower lip "Hey uh Bruce?" she'd been mulling over the idea of interning at Arkham for a few months. After all she was going to need more than the occasional visit with Rachel if she was going to continue receiving assignments and if she knew her way around the place better, it would be easier to break Barton out when the time came.

As the car started down the road Bruce glanced at his adopted daughter "Hm?" he mused.

"I want to help out at Arkham Asylum." The words rolled off of a hesitant tongue. Lifting her hand to thumb through a mahogany curl, Marionette pushed on before he could answer "I think it would be beneficial to my goal of becoming a defense attorney. "

"I will never fully understand why you would want to dedicate your life to helping criminals." Bruce said as the corners of his lips turned down with distaste.

The teenager quickly responded with a firm voice "No one is really innocent, Bruce. Everyone deserves a voice that will fight for them even if they make a mistake. This city's system is crippled and it citizens are blind." The girl crossed one full thigh over the other and moved her hand to cover the bandage on her other arm.

"Marionette, Batman will-"Bruce started only to be cut off by the younger girl.

"BATMAN IS NOTHING!" her voice left her lips loud and pitchy as she balled her hands into fists. "Batman is part of the reason the system is so crippled! Can't you see that, Bruce?" her blue eyes were on him now, desperately searching his face for an answer. "Anyone else who throws on a costume and runs wild at night is locked up in Arkham…so why not him? How can the system stand if it is impartial?" her chest was heaving now, anger lit her gorgeous eyes.

"Fair enough." Bruce swallowed hard "How will helping out at Arkham benefit you?" a final question. A simple, understandable question.

"I want to shadow a doctor. Maybe Joan Leland or-" it then crossed Marionette's mind that a doctor at Arkham knew her secret and it would be smart to keep an eye on that just in case he decided to squeal "Crane." She said firmly "I want to shadow Crane. "

"Marionette, I have met that man. Both Rachel and I agree that he's a creep. That is not who I want you spending your time with." His voice made it sound final. Marionette was never one to give up.

"Bruce, the only other doctor I know there is Joan and I would spend too much time slacking off with her. Crane would keep me on task. This will help me get used to being around the kind of people I might be representing later. I want to know how they work, Bruce I know you can pull the strings to do this…please."

He swallowed hard and tipped his head back in thought just after stopping at a stop sign "Does it mean that much to you?"

Marionette nodded slowly as her eyes searched his body language for an answer. "Fine."

"Thank you." The blue eyed beauty stated with a soft appreciative smile.

Bruce simply cut her off with a wave of his hand "However, I will be personally dropping you off and picking you up. Do not leave there without calling me first and I want to have a talk with Crane." His voice was stern and he actually sounded like a father.

Marionette stroked two thin fingers over the bandage that wrapped around where the needle had been jabbed into her arm and she flinched slightly "Bruce it's not like I'm going to date the guy. I just want to follow him around and see how he handles his job."

"He doesn't scare you at all?" asked Bruce giving his adoptive daughter a look "You don't get a funny feeling around him?"

"Bruce has anything ever freaked me out?" the question was rather matter of fact. The man simply looked into the teenagers blue eyes. Haunting. Her gaze was always intense and her eyes hid so many black holes. Bruce had always written it off as a result of being tortured as a child.

Though Bruce was never truly one hundred percent sure that Marionette was ever a victim. The scene said she was, after all she was just a child. She was small and meek and weighed barely 90 LBS the day he'd found her hiding in a closet in the back of the Dollmaker's hideout. Her skin was bruised and her eyes cold. However when the medical report came back it stated very clearly that the girl was well fed. There were even times when Bruce had considered making her a Robin in place of Jason however, her hemophilia would complicate that. He knew there was no way she could survive a real fight. Marionette was delicate, sweet and bright.

_**** Bruce let his gaze flicker to her passive face. Something about Marionette's deep set eyes made it easy to see the logic that swam through them with the passing of every street sign and tree. Something vulnerable that could betray her if only someone could see past that smile. ****_


	4. Internship

_**Authors Note~** _Here is chapter four for you lovely people, I am so glad you have been enjoying this story enough to keep reading it. For those of you who have only watched the movies, tsk tsk, and do not know who Jason Todd is, he was the second Robin, he was killed by the Joker in "Death of the Family." In this story he plays the part of Marionette's childhood friend though she did not know he was a Robin or had anything to do with Batman. Enjoy~

_**Chapter Four- Internship**_

_A pair of small feet pulled together so the toes of black dress shoes touched. "Are you going to be alright, Miss Mathis?" Alfred asked in his smooth voice before letting a large gloved hand rest on the 14 year old Marionette's shoulder. The young beauty's already milk white skin had gone ivory and red tinted her nose and cheeks. The girl was not used to crying, it was not something she often did. After all Marionette hated the empty feeling tears left deep inside of her._  
><em>"I just don't understand why Jason is dead." Her lower lip trembled as her blue eyes focused on the open casket containing her childhood friend's body. Jason was always energetic and cocky. A proud smirk had always been swept across perfectly thin lips but now he wasn't smiling or cracking god awful jokes. Jason Todd was silent and his face was passive.<em>  
><em>"Miss Mathis would you like me to find Master Wayne for you?" the butler knew how odd it was for Marionette to cry. He knew it was hard for her not to grasp every little detail because everything else came so easily to her. The child simply shook her head and buried her small face into Alfred's stomach.<em>

A pair of brilliant blue eyes fluttered open as a small groan escaped Marionette's lips. The library again? The girl inwardly cursed herself for falling asleep in the Wayne manor library yet again. Arching her back at an angle that caused it to crack quite loudly, Marionette slipped off the couch and dropped the book 'Of mice and men' down on the mahogany coffee table. A few blinks of her eyes would reveal the cup of tea Alfred must have brought down for her while she slept.  
>Dainty fingers took careful hold of the fragile cup, the porcelain was smooth and warm against her fingers that always seemed to be cold as ice. The brim of the cup touched her lips and she allowed the sweet liquid to tempt her tongue. Hot tea washed down her throat and she looped her delicate index finger through the space between the curved handle and the side of the beautiful little tea cup. Still feeling slightly groggy, the girl watched her steps with careful eyes, her long satin blue robe hung open on her petite frame revealing the white tank top and grey girl boxers beneath. Though this left a few bruises out in the open, she wasn't worried. Simply bumping into the side of a table the wrong way could easily leave her with large black bruises. Each one could be explained rather simply.<br>The walk up the steps from the huge basement that made up the library seemed, as always, an eternity. 'Aloisa Hess was found mutilated beyond recognition inside of her apartment. The only witness is nine year old Alexander Hess. The victim's mother is against forcing Alexander through any kind of trial.' The sound of the television caught Marionette's attention only for a moment as she loomed across the cherry wood flooring, covert by darkness. 'A reminder to keep your doors locked, this is the ninth prostitute murdered in the last three weeks. Gotham's finest are doing their best to put an end to this string of brutal murders but for now lock your doors and windows, avoid going out at night'  
>Silhouetted against the frame of the living room door way, Marionette stared at the screen as the story progressed. After the third body they had begun referring to the killer, well to Marionette, as another Jack the Ripper. Though, Marionette knew that Jack was more or less famous for running off with body parts…the public mind simply saw the horrible mutilation of prostitutes and made the connection even if it was wrong.<br>"I didn't hear you come up." Bruce muttered sleepily from where he was seated on the couch in front of the rather large television.  
>"I fell asleep again. You know how tired treatment makes me, Bruce." Marionette soothed as she made her way over to the couch.<br>"It's late, Marionette" his voice droned in a way that told her he was tired as well. Mari couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't gone to bed. A soft clink could be heard over the silence as she set the empty tea cup down on the mahogany table. "You should go up to your room, I talked to Joan Leland about an internship for you and she said she'd be more than happy to have you."  
>Marionette's soft pale fingers moved through Bruce's dark hair as she cast her blue eyes down on his face "I can't sleep…I had another dream about Jason."<br>A calloused thumb moved across her delicate cheek bone "That boy loved you to hell and back."  
>A knot tightened in her stomach as her teeth took hold of her lower lip "I know." It was all she could think to say. Jason Todd was her best friend and in truth she may have loved him too. Despite her grip on most situations, it never escaped Marionette that she did not understand love entirely. It was an emotion she'd learned to mimic with warm smiles and butterfly kisses but it was something she'd never knowingly experienced.<br>Marionette made the decision to ask Alfred about it next time the question came to mind. What does love feel like? What is it worth really? "Why are you on the couch and not in your California king bed?" her voice was soft but almost passive.  
>"I uh…just felt like watching t.v." he answered almost hesitantly.<br>"What happened to your forehead?" the blue eyed girl asked running the pads of her fingers over the darkening bruise that marred his usually perfect skin.  
>"Oh that? Must of bumped it." Another sleepy drone "Don't worry so much about me, Marionette. Go on upstairs and try to get some sleep."<br>A long sigh passed through her lips as she stood up and uttered "Maybe you should go easy on the parties for a bit, Hm? Just because the money exists doesn't mean you should spend it frequently."  
>Bruce sighed and picked himself up, of course he hated that she saw him the way she did but he had a secret to protect. The floors creaked as he followed the petite beauty down the hallway. She seemed to be aware of him following but expressed no interest in him. "Mari, this isn't who I am…there is more…" the words fell from his lips so easily because he'd said them once before.<br>Blue eyes shimmered in the darkness as she stared two deep holes into his skull "Bruce, I don't need to tell you this…you already know it…it doesn't matter…as long as you keep wasting huge sums of money…while this city rots…as long as you keep living the high life…while others suffer…as long as you continue to lie….that is all anyone will ever see…Bruce Wayne…the boy billionaire. Whatever is inside of you…doesn't matter…because you never let it show." Her tongue was quick and the words flying off of it were sharp. Marionette had always had a tongue that could cut like a blade.  
>"I know…" it was all he could say. After all hadn't Rachel said the same thing? It's what you do that defines you.<br>"Good night, Bruce." Her voice was firm as she turned away and made her way through the manor. The darkness did not pose a problem because Marionette memorized every room she ever set foot in the way a blind person would, to avoid bumping into anything. When she got up to her room, a dainty hand pushed the door open with a soft squeak only to shut it behind her with a soft click.  
>000<br>"Are you sure about this?" Bruce asked as he and Mari made their way across the staff parking lot. Arkham towered over them; even in the daylight the building was ominous and almost intimidating. A breeze moved through the mahogany curls that hung from Marionette's ponytail as she nodded in faint response. "Rachel said she would stop by on her lunch break to bring you something to eat, if you need anything just tell her."  
>"Bruce it's not my first day of kindergarten." The statement came out with a rather cute rather forced giggle. "I'll be just fine."<br>Marionette being the rather independent individual she was, did not like to be babied. Bruce for that matter was beginning to work her nerves with every word out of his mouth.  
>A warm fatherly smile passed over his pale lips and he gave a slight nod of his head "Right, you will have to forgive me, I love you, little girl."<br>Marionette held back a smile and rolled her all too blue eyes "Stop that!" ever since that first morning, when Marionette awoke to Bruce sipping his coffee at the vast table in his dining room, one ankle crossed over the other and he looked at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips and said "Good morning, little girl" that had been sort of a family nick name that only Bruce could call her by.  
>The heavy steel doors of Arkham swung open and Joan immediately smiled in Bruce's face, the way all women seemed to do when he walked into a room. "We are really so very excited to have your daughter work with us." Those words translated into 'We are so happy to have the princess of Gotham in our building' Honestly Joan…Marionette's thoughts hissed….get a hold of yourself.<br>"I have already informed Dr. Crane that he will have a shadow and an intern for the next few months. At least until Marionette has to go back to school, that is." The black haired woman pushed on with a smile in her brown eyes.  
>"I would like to talk with Dr. Cra-"<br>"Bruce." Marionette flashed him a pretty smile "It's time for you to go now."  
>A small hint of irritation crossed his gaze but he nodded "You're right, have a good first day." his lips touched her forehead and Mari waved him off quietly.<br>"Let me walk you down to his office." Joan stated with one of her smiles that Marionette always suspected was fake. Her lifestyle had lead her to believe most people were fake. Mari's response was a quiet nod. The rest of the walk was consistent of Joan explaining a few infamous pationts and expressing a few tips on how to deal with the mentally insane. All Marionette really wanted to do was get Jonathan Crane alone. She needed him to know she would make him keep her secret.  
>"Go on in." Joan said as Mari approached the large wooden door that would open up to Crane's office. The master of fear glanced up from the papers fanned over his cluttered desk as Marionette shut the door behind her.<br>"Hello Jonathan." a small teasing smirk graced her soft lips "My name is Marionette Mathis, I will be your intern this summer."


	5. Getting to know you

Chapter five-Getting to know you…

There was only silence for what seemed like a long time. Marionette had taken a seat on the side of Crane's desk; her delicate fingers ran over the engraved letters on the name tag adorning the cluttered space. "You can let me know what you're thinking anytime now, Dr. Crane." Those blue eyes flickered to his face, sending an eerie chill down his spine.

By no means was Jonathan afraid of this girl, he wasn't afraid of anything but she did give him the creeps. Her composure was impeccable and her eyes so full of morbid curiosity that she herself seemed to be just that, morbid, everything about her was odd, from the haunting blue of her eyes to the ghastly white of her skin. Jonathan exhaled and fixed his glasses "What kind of game are you trying to play?" his dark eyebrow arched causing a crease to form over his forehead.

"No game, I just like to keep my secrets close. I'm sure you of all people can respect such a thing." Her melodic voice flowed beautifully but menacingly from her artificial smile and Jonathan grew just a little more uncomfortable.

"I'm not afraid of you, you're a child." He spat as his long fingers moved to remove his white frame glasses from his structured face. "Miss Mathis, I am sorry for what is about to happen to you but this simply will not do." Crane's voice was terse, to the point and strict. Much like his blue eyes and the line his lips always seemed to press into.

Now it was Marionette's turn to arch a brow and shift a bit in her place. Jonathan was standing now; it then occurred to her that he wasn't all that tall. Probably only about three or four inches taller than her. "What is it exactly, Dr. Crane that you're apologizing for?" asked the sweet voice as Jonathan locked his office door with a loud 'click.'

"Don't you dare make a sound…" he warned blue eyes aglow as he advanced on her with strides of long legs. Marionette's composure didn't falter. The girl sat perfectly still, her blue eyes roaming over his body, the way he moved, the look on his face, the entire time analyzing him, waiting to see what he would do next. "I want those notebooks you took from my apartment back." His palms laid down on his desk, one on either side of her thighs. "Have you read through them?"

Her full lips parted slowly to form her words "Jonathan you aren't stupid." She held his blue eyed gaze, nearly nose to nose now, whispering as if there was a chance someone would hear her, Marionette continued "You know there is no possible way I could have read through all of them in such a short time….I did read through half of one."

His lips turned down into almost a grimace as his head tipped to the side "Oh? Half, huh? I would have expected more from someone who thinks she's so smart."

"Well your handwriting looks like shit." Retorted a voice so sweet the cursing sounded out of place. "And you'll get them back."

"When?" he questioned as his upper lip curled slightly into an irritated scowl.

Her pursed lips formed a condescending smirk "When I'm finished with this internship."

"Excuse me?" snapped Crane as his blue eyes filled with something a little past anger.

"That should keep your hands and toxins to yourself. I know you want those notebooks back, I want to make sure you keep your mouth shut. You now have an assistant that can file your actual work instead of the cover ups you write to hide it…I'd say everybody wins."

"And if I would rather just attack you and force you to produce those notebooks, what then?" a vein appeared just above his eyebrow as his jaw visibly clenched.

"Lay one hand on me…"Marionette spoke softly as if to lull a victim, her beautiful eyes stared straight into his "And I will tear my shirt off….pull this ponytail out…and run into the arms of the nearest nurse or doctor….and scream my motherfucking head off…trust me Jonathan…I can cry on queue…" her smile said something of 'So what was that about attacking me?'

Dr. Crane swallowed the knot in his throat and came to the conclusion that Marionette Mathis was dangerous on various different levels of every side of life. A dangerous murderer…a dangerous teenager…the most dangerous kind of teenager…a fucking smart one. This girl knew how to move people the way a puppeteer moves his puppets, fingers pulling the strings to the masters hearts content. Jonathan now found himself feeling slightly heated…this girl was pulling his strings…forcing him to do what she wanted…and she was a child. "Very well then…" Crane proceeded "You can start with the files in the bottom drawer of my desk. You will need a key to open that. Also for reasons that I feel should be quite obvious, you are not to leave my office with any paperwork in hand."

"Understood." The girl said with sincerity visible in her blue eyes "Key please, I'll get to work on those files for you."

Hours passed, Marionette sat quietly behind his desk, her eyes mulling over loads of information, and every now and then she would lift a pencil to add a side note or correct his spelling. Every time the girl found a mistake, Jonathan couldn't help but notice the way her eyes would narrow and her upper lip with curl with complete distain. Conclusion, Marionette Mathis is also picky. Finally Jonathan asked "How did Barton get ahold of you."

"It-uh was the day the criminals broke out of black gate…" her eyes never left the paper as she slipped another file into the "A-Ce" category. Her goal for his experiment reports was to alphabetize them by the subjects' last names. "He rescued me from the hysteria that broke out in my suburb."

"Mhm, right and what about Wayne, where does he fit into that mix?" Jonathan pressed for a little more as he lifted his briefcase into his lap and started to fumble about with the delicate set up inside.

"Why are you asking me so many questions?" her eyes continued to read over the report in front of her.

"I like to know who I'm trusting with my life's work." Crane stated simply.

"Well my name is Marionette Mathis."

"Was that always your name?"

"No."

"Can you remember your name, Marionette?"

"Yes and it is one of many things you and I will never discuss."

"Was it hard to let go of the name your mother gave to you?" he continued to mess with the triggering mechanism inside of his brief case.

"Not even a little." Again came a tone that did not suite the sweetness in her voice. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Marionette looked up and tipped her head to the side, blue eyes focused on Jonathan "What are you playing with over there?"

"It's a trigger that shoots they vapor form of my toxin. Last time I hit it, nothing happened and I'm trying to figure out why. My mask is creepy all on its own I suppose but it's not going to help me test my theories and new forms of the toxin." Jonathan explained not taking his eyes off of his work.

"Your mask?" she questioned "I guess I should have assumed you wore one but if these people are so delusional all they can think to do is scream it seems a little pointless to cover your face."

Crane was quick to explain "The mask is part of the experiment, would you like to see?"

Marionette's lips pulled back to frame two rows of gleaming white teeth "I would love to see your mask." The line fell naturally from her soft lips as she let her hand finally drop the pencil. It fell against a stack of papers, right on top of the highlighter green sticky note labeled 'Ra-T'

Jonathan lifted the folded stitch crossed burlap sack from his brief case and held it out for her. That sack looked wrong when held in her soft, delicate hands. She looked out of place everywhere she went. Her movements were unnatural, too graceful to be believable as anything more than a character from an old fantasia cartoon. To add to that she was too beautiful to sit beside Barton Mathis and not become the focal point of anyone's eye…to delicate to look right holding a knife…too soft to hold that mask…too set in her ways to be moved by Arkham asylum, and too real in this moment to stand beside Bruce Wayne or any other Gotham aristocrat. Finally, swallowing the knot in his throat Crane asked "What do you think?"

Marionette bit her lower lip as she ran her thumb across the stitched up mouth and fraying eye holes "It reminds me of that movie that came out not too long ago…Trick r' Treat." As for usual, Marionette's words were soft spoken. "Did you make this? Well of course you did the stitching is a mess."

"I'm not too concerned with the organization of the mask-"

"Organization isn't your thing, those reports were a mess…you scribble words down…you must have trouble reading that when you look back on it."

"Well if you want to rewrite it all, be my guest." Jonathan mumbled fighting the need to roll his eyes. Never had he ever in all his Twenty-nine years met a girl as difficult as this teenager.

"I think I'll do just that. I've got all summer." Marionette stated as if the task were simple.

"You're insane." Crane spat as he set his brief case down on the now less cluttered desk.

"Well if you say so, Doc, I mean you are the expert here." Her head fell back as if she were thinking something over. It was made clear when the math started falling from her mouth "Lemme see…there are…about eight 70 page notebooks in my possession and I'm guessing about four more in yours…that's…560 pages of your shitty hand writing for me to translate and rewrite…add in that probable extra four note books and…560 pages becomes…840…give or take a few folders of more unorganized crap. I will be pretty busy this summer."

"Aren't teenagers supposed to enjoy summer vacation?" Jonathan interjected in an attempt to hide the fact that he was impressed with her and how fast she'd figured that out right off the top of her head. She'd done it in seconds. "You know, go to the mall or something, and hang out with friends?"

Marionette arched an eyebrow at him "I'm an unusually unlikeable person."

"You don't have a single friend your age?" Crane asked in disbelief. She was beautiful, intelligent, a little OCD but that shouldn't have made too much of a difference in the eyes of a seventeen year old boy.

In truth Marionette's medical condition had always kept her far away from playgrounds. "You'll get hurt." Bruce would always tell her. She thought back on a time when she did spend the afternoon with Bruce and Alfred at the park….there were no other kids. "Alright hold still." Bruce smiled as he lifted the tiny eight year old onto his shoulders. Marionette's curly mahogany hair had been pulled back into a ponytail that fell all down her back. Her tiny feet were clad in black dress shoes, her legs in white stockings adorned with pink polka-dots that matched the rose pink dress that wrapped around her small torso. Whenever Rachel came around back then she liked to dress Mari up like a doll. Funny, Barton enjoyed that too. It was never an argument because Mari enjoyed being made pretty, she liked the way it felt when someone brushed her hair the way Rachel did. Marionette, despite her independence liked to be taken care of…it seemed like she'd forgotten that much…because she didn't know how to let anyone take care of her anymore. "Why couldn't Jason come with us?" asked the eight year old as her slender fingers worked a stray strand of Bruce's hair back into what she thought was its rightful place.

"Jason had to spend the day with Uncle Dick." Bruce explained as best he could without having to tell her that Jason was training to be the next Robin. Marionette knew nothing of Bruce being Batman or Jason being Robin and Bruce felt there was no reason to drag her into it. "He'll come with us next time."

The child's blue eyes focused on the orange sky as she let her chin rest atop her folded hands on Bruce's head "Promise it's not because he's older than me?"

"Jason loves you, little girl. He's family and he doesn't care about that." His voice was all the reassurance she needed "How's your arm?"

"Bruised." She mumbled feeling the purple skin rub against the brown fall coat Alfred had asked her to wear due to the breeze "A lot." She added with a soft wince.

"No, not since my friend died about three years ago." She stated rather matter-of-factually.

"You are a rather unusual individual, Miss Mathis." Crane said as he slipped his glasses back into place, his blue eyes reflected confusion as he thought back on what he thought may have been the oddest most beautiful thing he'd ever heard, "I would love to see your' mask."


	6. Revival

Chapter Six- Revival

"You're leaving early today?" Crane asked with an arch of his dark brow. Blue eyes alight as they fell on Marionette's back. The girl slipped her arms into her black jacket and nodded as her hands freed her long curls that had been trapped by the back of her coat.

"I'm on assignment." Her tone was sweet for a mouth that spoke of murder. "I'll make up for it tomorrow."

"Not that I care or anything but…will you be careful out there?" his eyes never left his work, well it wasn't real work it was another cover up for Falcone.

"Jonathan Crane." Mused the blue eyed beauty "Was that concern I just heard come out of your mouth?"

"Not at all." His voice was now bitter, cold as ice, droll "It would simply look god awful on my image if you, as my intern, were to be declared insane." It then hit him suddenly "How is it no doctor has declared you insane?" his blue eyes caught the fleeting smile that kissed her soft lips.

"Is it that obvious?" a sing song giggle was ever so barely trapped by her smile as she checked her reflection once on her phone screen.

"No offense." Jonathan mused "But yes, it is fairly obvious to any professional that you have a few screws loose up there." He gestured to his head with a pointed finger.

"They always blame it on me having supposedly been kidnapped by Barton Mathis when I was a child." Her hand was on the door knob now. In truth she had no problem sitting and having a conversation with Dr. Crane because she didn't have to lie. Marionette had never liked to lie. She was simply good at it. Lying became necessary once she started living with Bruce and it was easy to let the words flow rather simply…but it never stopped hurting after the fact.

When she was talking to Jonathan, not only was she talking to someone she had by the balls, someone who could never tell her secret without facing a consequence she knew he would rather die than face…but she was also talking to someone who like her, led a double life. Good Doctor Jonathan Crane….The Scarecrow. Marionette Wayne the Princess of Gotham….The second Jack the ripper…Daughter of Barton Mathis…Murderer…Dollmaker's accomplice. Perhaps she had too many faces to count. Perhaps that made Jonathan Crane just a little bit better then Marionette Mathis.

"No one thinks you're crazy?" She asked as she heard Rachel yell from down the hall.

Jonathan shook his head "No, just uptight."

"Well I have news for you, they're right." The door closed behind her and she made her way toward Rachel in long strides.

"Hey hun," The brunette's pretty smile stretched her cheeks as she wrapped an arm around the teenager's shoulders. "I can't believe you willing spend your summer vacation with that man." A blast of warm summer air hit the two young women in the face causing Marionette's curls to flail away from her ivory face.

"He's not that bad." The younger of the two shrugged and shot her friend a glance "We barely speak to each other. I just file work and organize his desk. He usually acts like I'm not even there."

"Yeah that's because the man can't hold a decent conversation." Rachel shot back as she opened up the door on the driver's side of her car. Marionette slipped into the passenger's seat and let her head press against the cold window. The cool glass felt like heaven against her skin and she slipped into her thoughts. Jonathan can't hold a conversation? Yet Rachel talks to Bruce…and thinks he can. Bruce can't hold a conversation worth a damn…Jonathan seems to do so effortlessly. It then occurred to her that she, herself, held a conversation best when she didn't have to lie. That was probably true for everyone. What is Bruce lying about?

"Listen, Rachel" Marionette sat up randomly and turned her blue eyes on the brunette "I need to pick up a few books for Dr. Crane, will you drop me off at the library? Tell Bruce I'll walk home when I'm finished?"

Rachel pursed her lips in thought "Does that man ever give you a break?" the car made its way down the road and turned a corner. Marionette watched the street lights that would go unlit until it got dark. Her eyes scanned over signs and other cars as if she thought something would jump out at her. "Mari?"

"Huh?" squeaked the teen as she looked her friend over almost confused.

"Does he ever give you a break?"

"No he's god awful when it comes to things like that." Marionette retorted as they pulled into the library parking lot. It seemed rather empty but then again, not many people went outside anymore with that crazy murderer on the loose.

"Call me if you need anything!" Rachel yelled as Marionette walked away, waving her off with a delicate hand. It would be okay to leave in about twenty minutes. Rachel would back to work by then. Mari simply could not risk being seen walking toward the hideout, especially by Rachel.

As she walked through the class doors a calm voice asked "Can I help you Miss Mathis?" upon hearing his familiar voice the girl swung around on her heel, swerving her body to the left to look at him.

"Mr. Fox, funny running into you here. It's been a while." Curls fell over her shoulders and she smiled her prettiest smile. "Why are you here?"

"Does Mr. Wayne know you were left here with no ride home?" Lucius asked giving her a questioning look with his dark brown eyes.

"Depends do you still work with him?" it was a stupid question, one she really didn't know the answer to but that really didn't matter. Stupid questions and pretty smiles made her come off as a trouble making teenager not a conniving vindictive little bitch.

"Yes, in fact I do. Would you like for me to call him? I'm sure he wouldn't object to a date if you just told him who it is you plan on meeting." Lucius broke into a light chuckle as smile lines creased his aging face.

Marionette tipped her head to the side and let a twitchy smile pull at the corners of her lips "A date? Oh no, that's not the case at all. I was just-"

"There is nothing to be ashamed of Miss Mathis, you should have dates at your age."

"Trust me, Mr. Fox, no guy my age would be interested in a date at the library. I recently got a job as an intern at Arkham and my boss says he needs a few books, plus I would like to grab a couple for myself for when I get bored and feel like reading. I can call Bruce and have him pick me up right after." Another pretty smile and her eyes lit up to make it almost real.

Lucius gave her another suspicious look "I would feel more comfortable if you let me take you home, with all due respect Miss Mathis, I don't think Mr. Wayne would approve of you being in town without an escort given the circumstances, what with this new Jack the Ripper character being on the prowl for young women."

Marionette all but felt something inside of her head snap in two. Sometimes plans just didn't work out. She would have to go another way. Given she didn't know much about Lucius Fox…she knew he wasn't about to let her walk out alone, nor was he going anywhere until she was safe with him or Bruce. She would have to let him take her home. There was no way around it that wasn't risky.

"I appreciate it, just let me grab these books and then we can go." She gestured toward a shelf in the back with her thumb and started to make her way across the grey carpeting.

"You know, Miss Mathis, now I think about it, doesn't Mr. Wayne have his own personal library?" upon hearing his voice, all Marionette could think was 'Why the hell do you ask so many questions?'

She quickly shot back as her fingers started to skin over a section of books on different types of phobia "Yes he does but I spend all my time down there, Mr. Fox, I am positive the book I want isn't down there and I also need to grab a couple books for Dr. Crane."

"Phobias huh?" Lucius asked as his deep brown eyes skimmed across everything her fingers prodded "Odd, I'm certain a psychologist like Crane would already know all about this kind of thing."

"Oh he does, I've taken an interest in pharmacology, actually and also phobiology."

"Sounds like your new friend has had a little bit of an influence on you." Fox made the statement with a subtle tone as Marionette grabbed three books off the shelf and shifted her body to the right making her way toward the other side of the library.

"Well if I have to spend all summer going through his reports I might as well enjoy what I'm reading." she explained trying her hardest not to cringe as she approached another shelf and pretended to glimpse over various books with a lot of thought. Really she was just looking for anything Lucius would believe Jonathan might have asked for. "You never told me why you were here, Mr. Fox." Marionette stated pointedly.

"I was just out for a walk, fresh air seemed like a good idea while the sun was still in the sky. Thought it might be nice to start reading a new book and when I noticed you here I thought maybe you would need a ride home." as he explained, Mari selected a book on retirement and how to deal with it. Her curvaceous body swung around and she walked around Lucius toward the checkout desk. "Also Miss Mathis, how on earth did you get Mr. Wayne to let you volenteer at Arkham?"

"Mr. Wayne? As in Bruce Wayne?" chimed the highschool student behind the checkout desk.

"See what you did?" Marionette mumbled as she flashed the girl a pretty smile, delicate fingers pushed the books across the cherry wood desk.

"That makes you Marionette Wayne, oh my goodness you really do look like a doll. It's a real pleasure."

Marionette again offered the girl a smile and said "It's nice to meet you too." After the books were checked out, Marionette slipped into the passenger's seat of Mr. Fox's car.

"Thank you." she stated as polite as she could when the car started moving.

"Marionette." Lucius let his tone grow a little more serious "Do not sneak around behind his back, not only will he catch you but it will break his heart when he does. Mr. Wayne loves you more then anyone could love another person. Now I have no idea why Miss. Dawes allowed you to get out of her car with the intention of walking home alone but you know there is a killer running around carving up young girls. Mr. Wayne would have no clue what to do if anything ever happened to you. Think about that next time you go off on your own."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I will apologize to Bruce the moment I see him." it was all she could think to say. It was all there was to say. Arguing would only worsen the situation. Sure Bruce would be mad but he would forgive her. He always did.

"How long have you been working with Dr. Crane?" Lucius asked as he glanced at the teen.

"About two weeks now." she answered without much thought and pressed her forehead against the window. Sneaking out of Wayne manor in the middle of the night was a fucking trick. Then again with Bruce's birthday coming up things around the manor were getting a little hectic, not that Bruce seemed to notice. Maybe that little bit of excitement would give her the chance to slip out.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fox and Miss Mathis...I'm sure Master Wayne will be quite pleased to see the both of you however I am also quite certain he will find it odd that you've turned up together." Alfred stated in his usual calm tone, raising a perfectly white eyebrow at Marionette who had already started to feign nervousness.

"Mari, Lucius…" Bruce broke in looking rather baffled the same as the butler had when he first opened the door "How on earth did you come across her, Lucius?"

"well, Mr. Wayne I do believe that is for your daughter to explain." The older gentleman gestured to Marionette with his hand as he took a step back as if to give her the floor.

Vamp it up girl…The thought passed through her head as she blinked emotion into her eyes and let the words spill flawlessly from her lips "Bruce…I'm sorry…I just….I needed to grab a few books from the library and I didn't want to inconvenience Rachel by causing her any delay or making her come back to get me so I was just going to walk home after I was finished. I ran into Mr. Fox the moment I walked inside."

The anger in Bruce's eyes was apparent and his tone came out slightly rasped "And it's a good thing you did. Alfred, Lucius, please…give me a minuet alone with my daughter." The prince of Gotham waved both men off as his eyes set on the delicate structures of his precious little girl's face.

"Yes master Wayne, right this way, Mr. Fox, I think you would find the garden to your liking." The butler's English droll disappeared down the long corridor to the left along with the sound of two pairs of expensive leather shoes against hard cherry wood.

"Bruce." Mari began only to be cut off when he threw up a warning finger and walked across the floor to lean on the railing belonging to the winding staircase. "I'm sorry, I really would have been fine." That part was true.

Wayne finally responded, this time his voice was serious, almost rough and it matched the anger in his eyes. "It is dangerous out there, Marionette. The city is a scary place at night and there are people out there who will hurt you, they won't stop to think just because you're a kid or because you're a girl or because you're beautiful, some men do not care! They will kill you if given the chance!"

"Oh how the hell would you know anything about what the city looks like at night, Bruce?" Marionette shot back this time in full heat. It was one thing to lecture her but another for him to suggest that he sees how Gotham is rotting, to suggest that he knows how dangerous and filthy it really is. "When such things are happening you are off at some party! Off with some girl! Just gone somewhere!" her voice rasped as she closed her mouth, sealing her full lips with a taut line.

"Mari, what have I told you, Batman will-"

"Batman is nothing." Marionette repeated slowly "Nothing. Batman locks the insane up while criminals go free….while the mob runs the city…while gangs rape young girls….while prostitutes sell their children….Batman will focus on keeping Edward Nigma from breaking out of Arkham for fear of him possibly doing business with Carmine Falcone….when he could just kill Falcone so Nigma has no chance of trading with him…Kill those gang members before they rape that young girl…kill that prostitute before she brings her baby into her sick line of work….and stop this cities problems at the source." Her tone was a little breathy now "Killing gets the job done, Bruce."

A small smile tugged at the corner of the dark knights lips, despite the things she'd just said, Bruce simply could not help but say "You sound just like, Jason."

"Well Bruce, maybe if Batman was worth a damn, Jason would still be here now because if your so called hero was worth a damn, no little boy or girl would ever have to die the way he did." The amount of immense pain that circulated in Wayne's eyes told Marionette that she'd said all of the right things and that if she could just push him a little farther, this would all wrap up in an irritated apology, a hug and a 'Leave me alone, I'm going to my room.' On her part.

"Mari." His voice was brittle and she heard the rasp that caught so deep in his throat. Upon hearing that pathetic sound, Marionette wrapped her arms around the neck of her adoptive father. In response his arms fell around his waist and pulled her tightly against him. "Mari I'm sorry." He sounded as if he'd let her down in some way. He sounded like he was the one who failed to save her friend, then again Jason did look up at Bruce like a father, perhaps Bruce felt he should have saved Jason.

"It's okay, it's no big deal." She soothed as she moved to run her fingers through his dark hair "You're right, I should be more careful. I won't do anything like that again, I promise…It's not fair of me to make you worry about me…with all you've done for me, Bruce I am so sorry."

Wayne backed up, cupping her soft, delicate face in his calloused hands he studied her. His eyes watched the emotion that ran rampant through her stunning orbs, scanning over her soft lips that had turned up into beautiful smiles so many times since she'd started to live with him all those years ago. "No" he rasped "No one can." The statement made the young girl raise an eyebrow at her adoptive father.

"Are you okay?" Marionette asked feeling Bruce's thumbs massages small circles into her cheeks.

"Please go to your room and do not come down…until I send Alfred for you…"

"Bruce?" she questioned again, bringing a hand to the side of his face "You seem confused."

"Just do as I asked." Snapped the prince of Gotham.

"Fine." quipped the young beauty as she turned and made her way up the steps "Just leave me alone for the rest of the night, I'm not hungry enough to eat dinner...I'm tired." and even though Bruce never verbally answered her, Marionette knew she would be left alone tonight.

Mari closed her bedroom door with a rather soft 'click' before turning around once again to lock it. It was a good thing she'd made the choice to leave Arkham a little early because it was already dusk. Mahogany curls cascaded over her shoulders as she tucked pillows underneath her comforter, just in case someone did go far enough to unlock her door simply to check on her. Slipping her arms into the sleeves of a murky colored grey hoodie, Marionette cast her eyes on the door and then to the tree outside her window.

A shift of her window and she stepped out onto the roof top. A few years ago, being up so high would have bothered her but, over time such a fear became trivial. A tree branch was extended to the point of almost touching her the framed glass that made up her window. This made it rather easy to get off of the roof fast. Her one and only regret was wearing a skirt today. Skirts were not good tree shimming atire. The heels of her shoes touched the roots on the ground, blue eyes glanced back at the house to make sure no one was pulling in or pulling out of the driveway. "Time to go." mumbled Marionette as she kicked her heels off and pulled the hood belonging to her grey hoodie up over her head, only a few curls managed to stay visible as she started a long jog down the street.

Sure it was a long run but Marionette paid it no mind. Running through the city allowed her to witness it's progress and also just how bad getting to be. Gotham was truly rotting from the inside out. It wasn't the fault of the criminally insane though, no. It was the mob, it was Carmine Falcone it was the night walkers and druggies...and she, Marionette Mathis...was the answer to it all because she would do everything Batman would never do...she would kill them because Killing gets the job done. Gotham's guardian angel, an angel of death.

A swift move into a darkened alley and Marionette skulked through the shadows. Her lungs burned and her legs ached but she only slowed down to catch her breath. Her blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark as she glanced over her shoulder to be sure she wasn't being followed though as of five minutes ago she could have sworn she had a shadow. No one came forth. If someone wanted to hurt her a dark alley would be an ideal place to do so. Her next thought was that it wasn't uncommon for glass to be shattered over alley ways and she was hemophilic and barefoot. Not a good combination.

Shifting onto the tips of her toes, Mari focused her eyes on the ground and gracefully made her way through the darkness, there was indeed shattered glass, she carefully evaded it and drew a soft breath of air as she made her way into the forest just outside of Gotham. "Anton!" yelled the blue eyed girl as she made her way up onto the porch of the Doll Maker's hide out.

"Big sis!" chimed the younger boy as Marcel pulled the flimsy door open.

"Marionette, you are here a bit later then Anton and I expected you'd be...it will be very dark by the time you get back to Wayne manor and I don't think it's a good idea for you to walk all that way at night. Perhaps you should just come back here." he stopped only when Marionette held a finger to his thin lips.

"I can go stay with a friend until morning if it truly gets that dark." her voice was soft but pointed as Anton pushed his pungent face into her stomach and wrapped his chubby arms around her hips. Marionette placed a delicate hand in his red hair and bit her lower lip "I'll bring something nice to cook next time I come here and we'll all have dinner together, alright?" her blue eyes shimmered as they reflected the smile on the younger boys face.

Untangling herself from Anton, Marionette walked back to her old room and slipped into her leather corset, shorts, stockings and combat boots. Despite her wearing a mask over it, she always applied makeup to her face, make up similar to her porcelain mask.

. She would paint her ivory skin over with paper white, apply black lipstick to her lips and smear glitter over her longer than average eyelashes. All of that just to cover it with a mask. Her hair went up into a ballerina bun fairly quickly tonight and she needed that, she needed to be ready fast.

Black blanketed the sky as the young doll moved gracefully through the city, rooftop to rooftop in an attempt to avoid a run in with anyone other than a woman named Karen Mills. Apparently Karen was not only a prostitute but also a skanky little slut who played mistress to the owner of a downtown strip club. She is responsible for the kidnapping and trafficking of over twenty two teenage girls. The plan tonight is to not only kill her but figure out where she sent those young ladies off to.

Marionette's platformed boot found a windowsill as she stepped into the darkened penthouse. The windows open...the thought bounced around in Mari's head for what felt like a million years as she crept farther into the house. "Either someone is really stupid...or.." the words came out...out loud...soft and hushed until the sound of the floor creaking beneath her combat boots quieted, she was walking on carpet now. The living room was vast, spacious and in the middle of the floor, mangled from her head to her toes, lying in the middle of the floor and done up to look like a doll...was Karen Mills.


	7. Nightcap

Chapter seven- Nightcap

A pair of cold dead eyes stared up at a horrified Marionette, warm crimson soaked into the carpet and spread the way ink did when it fell in black drops on white paper. Her limbs had been cut apart only to be sewn back together, giving her the appearance of an old raggedy Ann doll. Slowly, Marionette began to back out of the living room, craning her head from side to side to check and see that whatever killed Karen Mills had run off. "You know that wasn't easy?" a male's voice sounded from the darkness, from somewhere behind her. Mari swung around on her heel, blue orbs peering through porcelain eye slits for the source of the sound. "You manage so much precision and I would love to know where you learned that, Mari Wayne." The man crooned as he appeared behind her, a strong arm hooked around her neck and dragged her back against his chest.  
>"Who are you?" her voice was fierce and did not let onto how freaked out she was that he'd just said her name. Mari relaxed, she let her body ease up and feel for just a moment. She could tell by their position that he was about a head taller than her, he was wearing a bomber jacket which, judging from the gun powdery kind of smell, contained explosives.<br>The muffled sound of his voice when he said "Gotham's newest crime lord." Told her that her attacker wore a mask.  
>"Why did you kill, Karen Mills?" Marionette asked as a mahogany curl slipped from her ballerina bun.<br>"She no longer deserved to live, I had to scare you a little bit, not to mention I don't need witnesses for what's about to happen to you, Mari."  
>"Oh yeah?" she mused and brought her elbow back into his rib cage with a hard swing, his grip on her loosened and she thrust her combat boot into his chest, flinging the masked man in the bomber jacket rolling in what looked like a painful manner across the bloodied carpet.<br>The masked man groaned, shifting onto his hands and knees as the glimmer of a dagger caught his eye. "Xena warrior princess is it?" he chuckled bringing himself to his feet.  
>Marionette snickered behind the porcelain mask she wore "Xena wishes she were me" she lunged at him full force, a flick of her wrist and she sent a dagger spiraling his way. The attacker evaded the dagger only to receive a white heel in the face of his mask, her weight balanced on her hands as she tumbled over, long full legs wrapped around his neck on her way down, dragging his body to the ground so she could straddle his hips. "You aren't even fighting me seriously….why…who are you…how the fuck do you know who I am?" the words came out as a demand. Before he could speak she produced another dagger and pressed the blade to his throat "And don't you think for even a second that I only kill women, I don't care what the news says, I will slaughter you and make you into the prettiest doll yet, just you fucking wait. The collection could always use a Ken or two."<br>"It's nice to see you remembered your training, makes me really proud, Marionette but what the hell are you doing out in the streets? Huh?" it was a taunt. She knew it was a taunt. His wasn't the kind of mask one could just pull off, there was some kind of mechanism hidden somewhere to make it retract and open.  
>"SHUT UP!" snapped the doll as she flipped the dagger skillfully between her fingers "You threw my schedule…complicated my night…and more importantly you didn't even attempt to copy my job right…fuck off" The red hood's mask broke beneath the impact of the handle of the girl's dagger. Marionette found herself staring into a pair of blue eyes, crystal clear and full of some sort of amusement. A tuft of white marred black hair as Jason Todd smirked up at his childhood sweetheart.<br>"Jason." The frantic doll nearly lost her breath.  
>"Hey, long time no see right? I bet Bruce still keeps you in the dark, huh? But from the looks of it" he chuckled as his blue eyes lit up "You're keeping him in the dark just the same. Marionette Wayne is Gotham's Jack the ripper. Guess I should have guessed it, you were always slick, such a pretty face can lie so believably…but I know something…your other opponents never did ." that smirk turned to an evil sneer as he thrust his fist hard into her stomach and sent her tumbling over, her slender body rolled across the floor.<br>It hurt, a burning pain ripped through her stomach, the girl wheezed and clutched her stomach where he'd punched her. Gasping she hissed "God damn it Jason!" warm irony crimson flooded her throat as her once dearest friend grabbed her up by the ballerina bun she wore in her hair, stray locks of hair framed her face as he pulled her to her feet by that handful of her hair.  
>"You really shouldn't curse; your voice is a bit too sweet for that, Marionette it doesn't suit you." His lips were right against her ear now, breath like death sent chills down her back "Now tell me again, what are you doing in these streets?"<br>Blood leaked through the corners of her sealed lips, drizzling down her chin entwined with her salvia as she turned haunting blue eyes on her friend, just a shift of her gaze with a slight turn of her head "Cleaning them up." She spat, droplets of hot crimson splattered against his cheek.  
>The corners of Jason's mouth turned down with distaste "What?"<br>"Killing gets the job done, something the batman doesn't understand." She hacked, a disgusting noise erupted from the back of her throat as she leaned over and spat out another mouthful of blood "God Jason, are ya trying to kill me?"  
>"I was, I was going to kill you…do you have somewhere you can go? I know you can't go home like this…and a hospital is out of the question."<br>"Yes." She rasped "I have a friend I can stay with until morning. I just had a treatment a few days ago so I think it'll clot if I rest up for a few days…I just…have to get some rest." She had started to wheeze, shaking slightly "Once I'm done coughing up blood…I can go home…Bruce won't find it weird if I sleep for about three days on end…you know that."  
>Out the corner of her eye, Marionette saw her old friend smile "Yeah." He said quietly, smoothly "I know. We used to find you asleep in the weirdest places. "<br>"Why did you change your mind about killing me?" Mari asked softly, making an attempt not to choke in the middle of her question.  
>"We happen to have the same purpose; we'll talk more later, alright? How far away is this friend of yours from here?"<br>"Not far." She answered as Jason released her. Her fingers soothed over her stockings as she leaned down to re-tie the laces of her right combat boot.  
>"Will you be able to walk there?" Jason asked standing behind her crouching figure. "Marionette?" he asked again just seconds later as if he thought she did not hear him. Abruptly she shot up from her kneeling position, twisted her body around and sliced a deep gash across his chest. His grey shirt parted around her blade, exposing the bloodied, torn skin beneath. The older shrank back in pain; His blue eyes wide with shock as he stumbled backwards, a pack of cigarettes fell from his pocket and hit the floor. "What the fuck?" he wheezed as he stared up at her cold blank expression for a face. She looked like a stone doll.<br>"Did you really think I would let you throw me around? That I would just walk out of here coughing up my own blood and not spill any of yours? Damn, Jason, I thought you knew me better." She stated as she flipped the knife repeatedly, lacing it through her fingers. The moonlight shining in the window caused the crimson staining the silver blade to illuminate. "You won't die; honestly…it's just a big ass scratch." Turning on her heel Marionette walked toward the window, her silhouette nearly consumed by darkness only too look back over her shoulder "And one more thing, next time you try to copy my work, keep in mind that raggedy Ann is not my style. "Before he could open his mouth, the doll like girl disappeared out the window and up to the roof, where she'd come from.  
>So many complications tonight. First and foremost…she couldn't go home but Bruce couldn't know she left without talking to him first…and second…Jason Todd is alive. Jason Todd is alive…that fact smacked her in the face like a ton of breaks. He's alive and just like her...leading a life…no one knows about. Overwhelming. She started to stumble, walking aimlessly across the roof top only to climb lower and lower until she was on the street again, warm crimson continued to fill her mouth and as she walked she spit it out. Blue eyes fell on the familiar fire escape belonging to a certain Jonathan Crane, and she made her way up to his window rather slowly. It was getting to be painful just moving.<br>The lights inside of the house were all out, not a sound to be heard. He must have been asleep. Her eyes locked on the shape in the little bed beside the cluttered desk. He was asleep. Slowly, she unlaced her boots and stepped onto the soft red carpet that covered the floor. Her shorts slid down her thighs over her stockings and panties and she walked right over to the closet. Opening the door slowly, Marionette's eyes skimmed over the many suites and ties that were neatly hung. At least his closet was more organized then his work. Her fingers began to thumb through a pile of pants stacked up on a shelf, looking for any kind of soft material.  
>Grabbing a pair of plaid sweat pants from the bottom of the pile, she smiled, running her fingers over the material, soft, warm. They would do for tonight. Mari stepped into the sweats and then went about unlacing her corset. It was impossible to fit a bra into the corset and so she grabbed a grey tank top off of a hanger, it hung on her form just a bit, then again so did his pants. Not by much though, Jonathan was just a little bit taller than her and he was a pretty narrow guy, thin anyway.<br>Next she made her way to the side of the bed that Jonathan wasn't curled up on and climbed in beside him. Though she could still taste warm iron in the back of her throat, the blood had stopped coming up in mouthfuls. "What is it that you think you're doing?" his voice nearly made her roll out of bed.  
>Marionette rolled over and found herself staring into his piercing eyes, eyes that seemed to glow in the dark "I can't go home tonight." She mumbled "and I don't want to be alone right now…I'm kind of shaken up." Weather Jonathan realized it or not, he was the closest thing she had to a real friend. Jonathan Crane was the only person that Marionette Mathis had never lied to.<br>Jonathan raised an eyebrow at her and yawned quietly as he moved a hand to her forehead "What happened, Marionette?"  
>She bit her lower lip "Will you make me leave if I say I don't want to talk about it?"<br>"Most likely." He mumbled, his blue eyes fluttered and she could tell he was about to fall back asleep "I'm asking for research purposes, I want to know what makes a girl with-" another yawn broke his sentence "such a strong stomach and disregard for human life so worked up. " those haunting eyes settled on her face as he awaited her answer.  
>"You're such a creep." Mari mumbled, a small half smile tugged at the corners of her blood stained lips.<br>"You just broke into my house and-"another yawn "went through my closet…creep."  
>"Dr. Crane, was that a playful remark? You almost looked your age for a second there."<br>"Funny you say that." Jonathan mumbled as his eyes started to close once again.  
>"Why?" she asked, her voice hushed.<br>"You never look your age, Marionette Mathis." The words left his mouth in a slow droll, his blue eyes were lidded. As he spoke she sat up and started to fumble with her hair, unaware of the tired eyes that never left her face.  
>"I guess you could blame that on a few different things." Her fingers worked her hair out of her ballerina bun, or what was left of it. Mahogany curls fell over her shoulders and fanned over the pillow as she lay back down.<br>"Yeah, hard to act one age when you have a hundred different faces. Do you ever give yourself whiplash Marionette?" His fingers brushed over the pillow, capturing a few locks of her hair. "Keep this out of my face or I'll chop it off."  
>Marionette nodded and started to resituate so that her hair would fall behind her "Thank you, Jonathan, for letting me stay."<br>"Yeah, don't dwell on it too much, I'll be interrogating you the moment you're awake." He promised "Plus I like not having to do all of the work around my office. You-"another tired, strained yawn "Make it easier for me to sneak around and do my actual work."  
>"Night, Jonathan." Mari mumbled as she rolled over so her back faced him. The blood had stopped now, the taste lingered but she was sure she had stopped bleeding. That didn't surprise her either. Jason knew just how to hit her. It was Jason who taught her how to avoid fatal blows…it was Jason who taught her how to fight when they were younger. Jason knew exactly how to hit her, hard enough to cause a little internal bleeding…but not so hard that she would bleed profusely and die and right in the stomach.<br>Eventually Marionette's eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep. That night she dreamed of chasing a black crow through a darkened forest. A forest that reminded her of the one Snow-white ran through after the huntsman let her go. Dark and scary with the eyes of a hundred unknown beings watching. She wore an ankle length white strapless dress, her hair was left to cascade down her back and her hands reached relentlessly for the crow. No matter how the roots and gravel tore at her bare feet, she kept running. Long, jagged roots burst from the ground and bound her arms, thorn and splinters the size of daggers plunged into her arms. When she opened her mouth to scream, not a sound came out. Crimson stained her white dress and a dizzy feeling filled her head. Only now, the crow turned back, came to rest on the top of her head and started to peck at her eyes. Blood streamed down her ivory cheeks mixing with tears as she continued to noiselessly cry out.  
>Her eyes shot open and she lunged out of bed, hands pawing at her eyes as if she needed to make sure they were still inside of her head. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead and cheeks as she groaned, feeling even more dizzy then she had in her dream. "You talk in your sleep." Crane stated rather bluntly from where he now stood in the door way. He was already dressed in a silver suite with a nice navy tie. Not a hair out of place, pure perfection as if he'd made made over by the Dollmaker himself.<br>"Really?" Marionette asked with what most would call an attitude "I've never slept beside anyone before so, I wouldn't know." her now matted curls fell over her exposed shoulders.  
>Jonathan shook his head "I didn't sleep beside you, after awhile of listening to you babble about crows and the dead coming back to life, I went and slept on the couch. It was wildly inappropriate for me to even lay in a bed with you given the fact that you are a child."<br>Her blue eyes narrowed as she threw her legs over the side of the bed "Well thanks for the nightcap, Johnny but I should go."  
>"The nightcap was not free, I still have questions."<br>"Fine." huffed the teen as she shot him a look of annoyance "Go ahead, shoot."  
>"Why is your mouth covered in blood."<br>"I recently took to cannibalism." Mari retorted.  
>"Funny, I always took you for a man eater, why did you come to my house?" he continued.<br>"I was tired."  
>"Why were you so shaken up?" his blue eyes seemed to bore holes into her skull.<br>"I had a run in with an old friend, if you must know."  
>"Why were you so weak?"<br>"The hell are you talking about?"  
>"You were stumbling, I actually heard you sneak inside of my room and half the time I am rather inclined to putting a bell around your neck just because you are so quiet. You were not at all yourself last night."<br>"Myself?" she mumbled "I wear seventeen different faces, remember?"  
>"You Marionette, are a vindictive little psychopath with no regard for human life, If I didn't know the difference between disosiative identity disorder and an actress I would think you had several split personalities, however that is not the case. You are OCD in many, many ways and you are far to careful and set in your ways to be as noisy and careless as you were when you came into my room last night, do not look at me for one second and think I have not figured you out."<br>Mari shrugged and responded very simply "You know as much as any one else. Your diagnosis was highly predictable." a soft smile captured her lips "Nothing I haven't heard before." the girl started to glance around "What time is it?"  
>"Three-o-clock...maybe three-ten." Crane started after clearing his throat.<br>"Shit!" she hissed through her teeth as she jumped out of his bed, nearly tripping as she moved to run past him. Jonathan's calloused hand caught her by the crook of he arm.  
>"Calm down." he soothed "I called the number on your medical emergency card and told a certain, Alfred Pennyworth that you came into work early today at my request. You have nothing to worry about."<br>Her heartbeat settled and she sighed slowly before relaxing "Thank you."  
>Jonathan looked her over "Go wash up, take a shower, eat something. I do expect an explanation for what happened to you. I don't cover just anyone's ass for just any reason."<br>"One day." she stated as she walked down the hall until she found his bathroom. "Give me a little bit, I'll be ready to talk more after lunch." The bathroom door creaked open, Marionette peaked back at Crane and said "Hey, uh Jonathan."  
>He'd already started to make his way into the living room but stopped upon hearing her voice "Yes, Marionette?"<br>Her smile was faint even though he did not look back at her "Thank you."


	8. A beautiful partnership

_**Chapter eight- A beautiful partnership **_

"Did you enjoy your shower?" Crane asked as he set a cup of tea down in front of a refreshed Marionette. Her blue eyes lit up as she lifted the cup and started to sip at it daintily, the pancake in front of her was already half gone.

"Yeah, it was nice, thanks." The teen answered with a softness in her voice as her damp curls fell over her shoulders. Wet blotches formed on the shoulders of the blue button down she currently wore. A button down belonging to Jonathan.

"You have no intention of telling me what's going on, do you?" asked the doctor as he fixed his glasses and took a seat across the table from her.

Marionette smiled a vampish but almost innocent smile and shook her head as she stuffed a chunk of pancake into her mouth "It's got nothin'" her wording was muffled as she chewed her food "to do with you." And into the girl's mouth went another large bite of syrup soaked pancake.

"Easy on the food, you're going to choke." Crane said as he looked her over.

"Sorry. I didn't eat much yesterday."

"You don't eat much period, you look like you're barely 100 pounds." Jonathan retorted sounding half bored with the conversation.

"I'm 120 pounds, actually." Mari stated in a matter-of-fact tone "and cut me some slack." She downed another mouthful "I'm a busy girl."

Jonathan sighed, his blue orbs peering at her through the lenses of his white framed glasses "You really are a piece of work. There isn't a thing you can't stomach, you talk about murder and love in one breath, the sociopath's brain at its finest."

"Sociopaths don't waste time killing people so that can't be me, but I am commonly referred to as a sociopath." She started as she popped an entire spoonful of syrup into her mouth.

"Wayne never worries about having you in his house?" Crane asked. Her response to just about everything he said to her always baffled him. "it's impossible for him not to see that there is something wrong with you, you're insane."

"And seven out of ten doctors agree with that statement but Bruce doesn't seem to think that I'm dangerous."

"Can't argue with that logic, it's clear to any professional that you're fucked up. Paranoid, OCD, maybe even a little bit schizophrenic…it's not hard to figure out. " Jonathan's voice was flat.

Marionette giggled, a musical sound that rolled smoothly off of her tongue "I will never stop surprising you, Johnny…every time you think you've got me down, I'll make you stop and think again."

Jonathan watched the way her mahogany hair curled so beautifully, so naturally over her shoulder that was clad in his shirt. One thought occupied his always busy mind…She's a walking travesty. Young, beautiful, driven, unstoppable but so mentally fucked that she's a ticking time bomb. The world would fall at her feet upon her call…it still may come to that. A small smirk pressed Crane's full lips as he thought about it, pictured it…she would be a pretty face to have around as the world burned down.

"Come back to me Jonathan." She snapped her fingers in his face repeatedly.

Crane shifted away from the table and motioned for Marionette to follow him "I don't trust you in my house when you're out of my line of sight." The comment was a mono tone mumble. Mari looked at her empty plate before jumping up and making her way to the scarecrows side. "Don't think that just because we're not in Arkham that you don't have to work. You have made yourself a thorn in my side and I plan to utilize you to the best of my ability." His blue eyes were sharp as he looked at her, dark eyebrow quirked.

"Aren't you a charmer?" groaned the teen as they walked back into Crane's bedroom. "Why the red carpet?" Mari asked, the color bothered her from the very first time she saw it and now she could finally ask.

"It's a place to live, I hardly care what color the carpet it. Not all of us grew up on linoleum-"

"Polished ivory and cherry wood, actually." Teased the blue eyed girl with a wide grin. A playful vibe rushed through her eyes. Jonathan raised an eyebrow at her before swinging around on his heel and catching her by the wrists. His weight pushed against hers, not enough to throw her down but enough to push her back. Her back fell against the ugly red carpet, hair fanned out across the floor as she giggled.

Crane trapped her there with his body, a sly smirk on his lips as his knee shifted up between her thighs, hands pinned her wrists above her head. "I bet it's more comfortable than your polished ivory."

Marionette let a small cackle pass through her soft lips "Yeah, that it is. Did you have to push me down though?"

"I figured it was the only way I could get you on the floor. " His eyes remained on her face until he leaned back onto his knees. Jonathan's blue eyes trailed up her purple and blue marred ivory legs. "Are you completely unable to defend yourself?"

She shook her head as she propped herself up on her elbows "Occupational hazard." The bed creaked as Mari sat down on the side of it closest to his desk "What's on the agenda for today?" she questioned as Crane took a seat at his desk. The teen laid her head down on the wooden surface atop her folded arms and waited for a response. Her insides still burned but she would be able to hide the pain, she had been able to hide it her whole life.

Crane finally answered "We need to think of a new way to use my toxin. I have a vapor form, a shot, a form that can be dissolved on the tongue not that anyone would ever-"

"Hmm put it inside of pill capsules, like stuff you can just buy off the shelf…replace the bottles with your tainted ones, like the Tylenol Terrorist in 1982" murmured the teen that always seemed to know too much for her own good.

"How do you memorize everything the way you do?" Crane inquired as he mulled the idea over in his head. It would be an easy, interesting way to test it out on people who aren't locked up in an asylum.

"Just do." She answered leaving him rather unsatisfied. "Are we going with that idea or not?' her blue eye peered up at him through dark curls.

"How would we get the medicine?" He questioned "Without buying it…that would be-"

"I am a pretty decent thief and while I could probably make off with an entire shelf…we should do this three or four bottles at a time. Finishing only two at a time. I can sneak around cameras late at night before putting them back on the shelf…and I will do all of this for one little piece of information."

"Should have known the idea wasn't free." Crane mumbled.

"Nothing ever is." Mari grinned as she let her chin rest on the back of her dainty hand.

"What do you want to know?"

"Who do you work for?"

Jonathan raised his eyebrow in the teens direction "Ra's al ghul." He answered firmly. Mari smiled in quiet response. She really didn't care who he was working for, she just wanted to see if he would honestly answer her.

"He would actually like you." Jonathan said slowly as he tapped a pencil to the surface of his desk "Your level of intelligence, you would make quite an addition to the league of shadows, Marionette. You should meet him."

Mari shook her head in response "No thanks, skulking around in Gotham's underbelly, I have learned a few things about those people. I want no part of it."

"Funny, seeing as like them, you believe killing gets the job done." Jonathan remarked.

"They don't do it out of a sense of justice. They would destroy an entire city if it happened to stand in their way."

"If Mathis asked you to do it, I think you would do the same, and even your sense of justice is deranged, Marionette." His tone was flat but she noticed his small smile. He was trying to irritate her.

Her fingers moved to play with a loose curl as she answered "He would never ask me to do something like that. My father is a good man, honestly. He just knows the truth of it all. We live in a world full of crazy people." Her eyes had locked on the file in her hand. She'd pulled it from the small stack that was sitting on the corner of his cluttered desk. "Who is this Jon Doe guy, huh?"

"A real lunatic." Crane said as he closed up a notebook having written her idea down inside. "He was brought in about a week ago actually. Green hair, completely done up in clown make up. Refuses to give us a real name or anything about where he came from. We're keeping him to solitary confinement until we learn more. On top of that no information will be disclosed to the media until we feel we have enough information to promise people that he is no threat."

"Doctors playing politician. Isn't that cute? You have information regarding a threat and won't disclose it because you people want to make a private experiment out of the poor guy." Her delicate fingers traced over the picture that was paper clipped on top of the file. He had cole black eyes, strong facial features, brown hair that curled to his shoulders and a pair of scars that forced his frowning mouth to smile.

"I have information regarding you, Jack the ripper. I don't disclose that to the authorities-"

"What's with the story behind the scars?" Mari asked cutting him off abruptly.

"You know what, I'm sure he would love to tell you that himself." Jonathan snickered as he fixed his glasses.

"Could I meet him?" her blue eyes searched his face for an answer.

"I suppose. Just help me get some work done and I can take you down there whenever it's convenient for the both of us."

"Wonderful, now let's head out and buy some Tylenol." Chirped the teen as she rolled over and scrambled off of Jonathan's bed. As she made her way out the door, those observant blue eyes moved to the trash can near the doorway. A crumbled piece of paper sitting on top of the pile of garbage caught her interest and she scooped it up with a smile as she used her fingers to smooth over the wrinkles. "What's this?" Mari asked with a sly smirk.

Crane shook his head as he walked up beside the teen "Nothing, Arkham throws a party for the staff every year. Men show off their wives and women show off their dresses. Idiotic things of that nature."

"So you never go?"

"Absolutely not."

"Well you're gonna show off your intern this year because we are definitely going."

"Why are you so interested in a party, little miss introvert?" questioned the older as he watched her thumb through his desk. She was so determined but once she was interested in something, she would turn toward that.

"I really don't care about the party at all, when will you learn that everything I do, has an alternative motive?" she asked as she found his burlap sack of a mask. A small smile tweaked her full lips as she ran her dainty fingers over the stitching. A certain kind of light filled her eyes and suddenly she belonged there again. Her longer than average lashes cast shadows over her ivory cheeks as as a loose curl fell over her shoulder, Jonathan felt a raging shiver roll up his spine. God he loved the way she looked when she held that mask.


	9. Dysfunctional

Chapter Nine- Dysfunctional

The sun set over Gotham, casting orange and red across the sky as a pair of criminals made their way back toward Jonathan Crane's apartment complex. The male laughed, laughed like he hadn't in years "I thought you said you could get around cameras."

The female retorted smugly "I'm pretty sure they didn't get anything after I blew em' to bits." The two couldn't help but laugh as they walked onto the bridge that crossed Gotham's bay. Due to the water, the air was a bit colder here and Marionette caught a glimpse of the waves, a shutter raged through her entire body. All of that water…

Water, it consumes everything and grips at her lungs. Little hands flail as she kicks and screams into her mother's palm. "Marisol, stop it." The young, frail woman chides. "This is for your own good baby, don't you see that?" her crystal blue eyes are sad and her five year old gasps for air. Another voice chimes in "Mary, what the fuck are you doin'?" the scrawny blond leaning in the door way held a whiskey bottle in one hand. Water, it rushes down her throat and up her nose, it stings and burns and destroys. Her small hands stop flailing, her little legs come to a subtle stop. "Give her to me." Snaps the blond as she shoves the frail young woman away from the tub and scoops the half drown child up out of the icy water. "Wait until Carrick finds out about this, Mary." It was a threat. The prostitute leaned against the tub simply wipes her mouth as she slurs "He won't care."

Marionette's blue eyes stared out at the bay, at the waves and ripples created by movement in murky blue depths. Jonathan looked at her "You seem uncomfortable." His voice was flat as ever.

Mari flexed her fingers against the railing of the bridge they stood on before pushing her weight away from it "I don't like water." A mahogany curl fell over her shoulder as she walked down the side walk. Jonathan watched her walk for a moment before following. She hadn't been able to run back to Wayne manor to change her clothes and so she was sporting a pair of grey slacks he'd out grown and a tucked in button up that was pulled out at her waist, making her look like an 80's TV star. "You comin' Crane?" asked the teen as she threw a bag over her shoulder "We got your Tylenol."

At that moment, it occurred to Jonathan that he'd forgotten about Falcone. Sure he'd declared him insane but prior to that, Falcone's men had given him information regarding a problem with their last shipment of toxin. "Marionette!" He raised his voice not willing to actually pick up his pace to chase some teenager.

"Huh?" she came to a subtle stop and turned to face him.

"Would you be interested in being my mistress of fear, just for tonight? I would appreciate your assistance –"

She laid a finger a against his lips to shut him up "I'll help you because I can't get to Arkham tonight to receive my own assignments, that means I'm not busy, however never in life will I be your mistress of anything. Let's just get back to your apartment so I can suit up and you can put on your ridiculous mask."

"The batman may be involved." He warned.

"Great." Her smile was something unexpected "I've been waiting for the chance to stick my blade in that bastards neck."

Jonathan chided her as he walked alongside her "Now, such a thing is much easier said than done and you will do well to remember that, Marionette."

"Don't get your boxers in a bunch." The teen mumbled as they came to a cross walk. Jonathan smacked the button and narrowed his eyes at the sign waiting for it to say they could go. They'd only snagged about four or five bottles of Tylenol. Marionette said that anymore would be too much and she was probably right. Blowing the security cameras to bits was just an extra method of caution. She really is insane. The sign changed and the pair made their way to the sidewalk on the other side of the road.

The sound of her cell phone going off made Marionette groan before sliding her thumb over the screen and placing it against her ear "Rachel?" she asked as she walked into the nearest corner store, the last thing she wanted was for Rachel to question the sound of cars in the background.

"Hey you." The woman coed and Mari could hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey." Mari spoke softly and tried to sound like Rachel was exactly who she wanted to hear from at the moment she called.

"Do you have a minuet?"

"Of course, anything for family."

"So I was thinking, you and I should go shopping later and maybe find Bruce a birthday present, that is coming up soon you know."

The young man behind the counter of the little front desk had begun to ogle her. "Yes, I know. Shopping sounds like a good idea, though I am almost positive he will be happy if you just show up."

"I know, I know, and I already have a gift for him but I know you want to get him something too, has Crane got you all tied up?"

"What?" Marionette half gasped.

"I said has Crane got your schedule all tied up?"

"Oh, yeah, the man's a loon just like you said. All work and no play. He really needs to lighten up."

"Yeah, he's always had a nice ass."

"Excuse me?" The teen nearly choked on her own tongue.

"Mari, are you deaf? I said he's always had a stick up his ass."

"Sorry, just tired." Her blue eyes turned down as she started to chew her lower lip.

"Maybe you should get some sleep, baby." Rachel stated softly, her tone was motherly and in many ways it only served to make the knot in Marionette's stomach tighten just a little more. She had no idea why she was so disoriented. Maybe she was tired, maybe it had to do with hearing Rachel Dawes curse, Rachel never cursed. She must really hate Jonathan.

"You're probably absolutely right, I'll see to that right away." Mari inhaled slowly, her blue eyes screwed shut for just a moment before she exhaled "Rachel, Will you let Bruce know I'm sorry for taking off so early this morning, we had a big fight last night and I feel just awful. I'll be out a little late tonight but we can shop for his present in the morning."

"Why so late tonight?" the brunet retorted. Mari could hear the office bustling around her. So vivid was the sound of it all that Marionette could almost picture Rachel leaned over her desk, thumbing through a thick manila folder.

"Just have some things to take care of, Dr. Crane offered to teach me about diagnosing patients, my friend Maloney wants me to go to the mall with her maybe catch a late night movie, and I want to stop and grab dinner on the way home, all in all I just need some time away from the manor for right now, tell Bruce that for me?"

It took her a moment "You've never mentioned a Maloney."

The blue eyed teen retaliated fast "I guess that only makes sense, she was my lab partner in chemistry. We only ever hung out at the library to finish up reports and homework, nothing worth mentioning. She texted me early asking to hang out, said her mom was working and her dad was hogging the t.v. She's bored, I suppose."

Rachel's voice lightened "Alright hun, I'll let Bruce know, I'm sure he'll understand. Try not to be out too late and Crane had better treat you with respect."

"Thanks."

"Of course, love you Mari."

Marionette chewed her lower lip "Yeah, you too." She hung up and glanced over her shoulder, Jonathan stood there with a quirked brow. "What are you staring at?"

"Oh nothing. Just find it interesting that instead of 'I love you too' you chose to say goodbye with 'yeah, you too.'" Crane's voice was flat but intrigued.

"Shut up and stop analyzing me." More words that just did not sound right when said in her sweet voice.

Jonathan's full lips quirked into a sardonic smirk "Very rarely do we meet individuals whose mental instabilities don't seem to end."

Her blue eyes narrowed and she placed her hands on her hips "My mental state is just fine, thank you very much.

"Let's head back, we've got a lot of work to do." Jonathan mumbled not even caring to disagree with her. He knew she was crazy and because she was crazy she didn't know that she was crazy. Wordlessly she strolled around him and they began their walk back to Crane's apartment.

Never in a million years did Jonathan think he would see this seventeen year old sprawled out across his bed even once, now it was three times in a span of 24 hours. The girl had completely shed his slacks, wearing only that button down and a pair of his boxers. 'I have to be comfortable to work properly' was what she'd said as she peeled away the pants he'd given her to wear. For the past hour and a half they'd been working on filling up the Tylenol capsules with a powder form of his toxin. He worked at his desk while she worked on his bed, laid out on her belly. Marionette was silent unless Jonathan made a remark like 'Make sure you don't lose any of that powder in my bed.' She actually found it pretty funny that he was worried about that, about her losing something, when he was always talking about how OCD she happens to be.

"How many have you got done over there?" she asked softly as she shifted her position to sit up.

"A full bottle, you?"

"Same." Marionette huffed.

"Getting bored?" The blue eyed male asked giving her a look.

The teen responded "Just a little bit." Her feet made no sound as they touched the ugly red carpet. Over thirty minutes ago she'd noticed the old radio that had been thrown into a corner. Perhaps Jonathan really cared for such a thing as music once upon a time.

"what is it that you think you're doing?" Crane demanded flatly as he fixed his glasses. A click of a button and the song 'Time after time' filled the air. lashback - warm nights -Almost left behind Suitcases of memories, Time after – "Marionette we are working here. Turn it off and sit back down." Her delicate hands prodded at his as she tried to pull him away from his desk. In all honesty he was impressed by the grip she possessed. Sometimes you picture me -I'm walking too far ahead you're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said –

"it's just a short break, I've been busting my ass for you all day and I'll be doing the same tonight, so just…dance with me." Then you say - go slow -I fall behind -The second hand unwinds…

Crane felt weak, he'd always been a stronger kind of man mentally, willfully but those round blue eyes…mixed with those pouty pink lips and curls that fell so perfectly with the tilt of her head…they made him a weaker man. Jonathan had never really cared to be with anyone, much less a seventeen year old. "No." he stated jerking his hand away. His pride was on the line and he'd be damned before he let her take his pride away from him.

"Please." She smiled pretty taking his hand again, swaying it slowly. then you say - go slow -I fall behind -The second hand unwinds…"I'll be your little scarecrow princess for tonight." She teased. Something inside of crane snapped. 'I'll be yours.' Those words forced his pride down the drain. This girl was truly dangerous, she could bend him to her whim, not just anyone could do this. He found himself hesitant to stand but he wanted to please her, also unusual. 'If you're lost you can look - and you will find me Time after time'

"Just for a little while and then it's back to work.' Jonathan declared as if it would save his pride. Mari sashayed over to the dresser where he'd stashed his mask. "What are you doing?" he raised an eyebrow at her as she lifted his mask into her hands. Another violent shiver danced up his spine.

'If you fall I will catch you – ' "I said I would be your little scarecrow princess, didn't I?" her voice muffled a bit as she slipped it on. Mahogany curls jetted from the hem of the cowl and her blue orbs all but shined behind the ragged eye holes. 'I'll be waiting Time after time'

'After my picture fades and darkness has-'Jonathan took her hand and then her waist as she let her free hand rest on his shoulder. He spun her around, let her go and brought her back in. Marionette giggled whimsically as she spun out. "See not so bad?" '-Turned to gray'

"I suppose not." The pair moved into a more upbeat style of dance. Swing was always a fun way to go even if it didn't fully match up to the speed of the song playing. '-Watching through windows - you're wondering' Their shadows cast on the wall, spinning, dipping, a moment or two where he almost tripped and she would burst into laughter. '-If I'm OK Secrets stolen from deep inside the drum beats out of time–' He couldn't help but notice small things, the way her curls loosened and fanned out with each spin of her body, her tiny giggles, the light in her eyes whenever she smiled behind the mask. Marionette's happiness was bliss. '-If you're lost...You said go slow -I fall behind the second hand unwinds –' The way she wore his mask was probably his favorite aspect of her dancing, of her bliss, of everything, the way she fit so perfectly against him. Most importantly, she threatened everything he stood for and actually had the means to destroy him and his lifes work, she would do it single handedly and without remorse…she scared the hell out of him and oh how he'd longed to feel afraid for so long. What a beautiful nightmare she'd turned out to be. Jonathan Crane was no romantic…but in the back of his mind he had decided that she would be his little scarecrow princess, his mistress of fear. '-If you're lost...-' A thought ran through his head, he considered kissing her, grabbing her and taking her for his own. Right at that moment. '...Time after time-'Jonathan wanted to own her, to possess her. She was perfect for him after all, intelligent, beautiful, insane…such a loner…he was willing to bet she'd never been touched. '-Time after time' Her hand left his. Crane felt her finger tips brush his. '-Time after time..' Off came the mask, her cheeks red from heat. 'Time after time' he leaned over and placed a firm kiss right on her cheek.

"Awh." She coed looking him dead in the eyes "now I really feel like a princess." He couldn't tell if she was blushing. Her ivory cheeks were already so pink from the heat trapped behind that burlap sack. His blue eyes fell on her full lips. This wasn't love, it was infatuation. Regardless he wanted her and so he would have her.

"Let's just get back to work." Crane said regaining his composure. His fingers moved to straighten his glasses and he took a seat. The teenager shrugged and climbed back into her spot to go back to work. Long hours passed, hours where she worked powder into capsules with nimble fingers and he watched the way her toes curled when she got frustrated. Jonathan was starting to get used to the look of those long dark curls fanned over his sheets, the way her skin contrasted against the comforter. The scarecrow couldn't help but grimace, she was going to be the death of him. Driving him half out of his mind and having no clue.

Night set in, he slipped his mask on and tapped his foot impatiently waiting for Marionette. Girls…his thoughts hissed. It took him moments to throw on his mask and be ready to go. He'd been waiting on miss Marionette for about thirty minutes now. "Marionette, we're going out to deal with criminals…it's not a fashion show, lets go!"

"Sorry." Her voice was soft as her white combat boots moved over the concrete. Jonathan turned around to look at her. In so many ways he was amazed. Such a beautiful disaster. The first time he met her, she was wearing that same white corset, those same leather white and black shorts…the same stockings…the same boots…only this time was different. This time she wasn't running off with his property, she wasn't hiding. This time she wore her own mask, a porcelain face mold kind of thing with smooth slits for eyes. "It takes me awhile to get all of my hair back like this." She explained "Curls."

Crane swallowed the knot in his throat "Let's get going then, shall we?"

"Sounds good." The younger retorted and started to walk beside him.

"So, why dolls?" Jonathan asked as they made their way into an alley way.

"Father likes pretty little things." Mari answered softly "Precious things. Dolls represent innocence you know?" he noticed the slow in her pace but had no idea why she would slow down. Marionette wanted to talk about these kinds of things with him because there was no one else other than her doll maker family that she could talk to about it.

"Is that why you carve up prostitutes like dolls? It brings back their innocence?" this was a conversation Jonathan could get into; this could be considered psychological research.

"It's not just prostitutes." She corrected him rather arrogantly "People who take innocence from others…people like pimps, prostitutes, sex traffickers, rapists and abusive parents." She then started to go into the deeper meaning "You see, before I met father, I always thought that the world was a bad place because people were crazy but I was wrong. Father showed me that, it's not the crazies that make the world a bad place it's the people who…who drive other people crazy…they're the ones who need to be locked up. It's not normal to endure so much and not lose your mind, people who got pushed to the edge…they accepted their problems and went with it…they were locked up…people like my dear father."

Jonathan watched her, through the matted eyeholes of his grizzly mask. "Who took you're innocence away from you, Marionette?" his tone was calm, calm like when he talked to a patient. He was a psychiatrist and a scientist first and foremost.

For the first time since he met her, Marionette went silent. No more sound spilled from her lips. Jonathan raised an eyebrow "Come now, tell me. Was it your father, your biological one of course, did he sneak into your room at night?"

"No." she said firmly "My mother kept him at bay."

The scarecrow thought about it a moment "Perhaps your loving mother, did she do something to make you this way?" He remembered her reaction to the bay "She tried to drown you, didn't she?"

"Yes." Her voice cracked but she answered honestly none the less.

"How old were you, Marionette?"

"Five, I was five."

"So young, do you know why she did this?"

'This is for your own good baby, can't you see that?'

"She was afraid." Mari explained as they continued to walk through the night. "She thought my father was going to turn me into a prostitute…that he would rape me and then let this friends. To her I was better off dead then in that kind of misery."

"Your father was a pimp?" Jonathan asked in a way that made it more of a statement.

"Yes, my mother was young, very young and to my understanding he pulled her off the streets."

"You grew up in a whore house, no place for a child, no doubt it affected you mentally."

"I used it like I use everything else. I learned from it. I learned how to manipulate men."

"Yes, yes and when your loving mother tried to kill you, who saved you? Surely not your father."

"No, one of his other girls did. She knew he would be angry because whenever he looked at me he saw a profit. He ran with Falcone believe it or not." He was so easy for her to talk to. She wasn't sure anymore if it was because it was his job to talk to fucked up people or because she could be honest with him.

"Yes, and were you always a little lady when it came to Bruce Wayne?"

Marionette couldn't help her small smile. "For near a year, until he introduced me to Jason."

"Jason, was this your dear friend who died when you were fourteen?" Crane asked as they cut through another alley. She did a magnificent job of talking and walking in perfect sync with him.

"Mhm, we were inseparable as kids. He was an orphan, like me. Aggressive, like me. Ya see, Bruce found him trying to break into a car. He brought him home on my 8th birthday. Rachel of course threw me a huge party, she liked to dress me up for big events. I'll never forget that night. He was so smug, cocky as all living hell and Bruce had forced him into slacks and a button down. It didn't suit him. From that moment on we were practically attached at the hip. The two of us would get into trouble all the time. We nearly drove Bruce insane."

"When did all of this bliss come to an end?" the warehouse was almost in sight now.

"I'm not sure what happened, I guess he lost interest in me, couldn't really blame him he was nearly four years older than me. He started to hang around uncle Dick more and more, he got busier and busier but kept me in the dark with what, soon I didn't see him at all…the last thing he said to me was 'I'll be back soon.' He never came back."

"How heart breaking." Jonathan crooned as they walked up to the warehouse his shipment was to be brought into. Clearly that idiot's men were not capable of handling the task on their own. Of course by now, he knew that Batman was no normal vigilante.

Marionette knew that the conversation was over now. Jason would most definitely be answering some questions the next time she saw him. A light came on moments after Jonathan toyed with a flash light. Realizing it wasn't batman the other mobsters walked out into the open. "who's the broad?" one man asked gesturing to Mari.

"Gentleman this is Molly, she won't likely be joining us again after tonight." Molly? It was better than being called a Jack the ripper knock off. Marionette let her hand rest on her blade, a warning to all that she would lash out if they got too close. The men really were in quite a panic, truly afraid of the batman.

Jonathan walked toward the window "This shouldn't be-"he never finished the phrase but it was enough for her to know she should be on the lookout. In the darkness, hidden by the shadows, she noticed the smallest movement. The figure loomed before moving to the left, maneuvering over the pillars that stretched across the dark ceiling of the warehouse.

"Scarecrow." Marionette spat, her voice in a hiss.

"Is something wrong, Molly?"

"He's in the corner to my right." She whispered, from behind her mask the words were incredibly hard to make out but Jonathan understood exactly what she said. Batman dropped down behind one of Crane's men. Marionette threw a silver dagger in the Bat's direction. The dark knight evaded the blade and it stuck in the wall.

Bruce was confused, he'd expected to come here and find a bunch of drug dealing mobsters, instead he found a man in a mask and a young woman he had no idea existed. A criminal that had been eluding him for what could have been years…that was a scary thought. The bat moved for Scarecrow, Crane, having never been a man of physical strength moved for his sleeve where he kept fear toxin handy. In the shadows Marionette had already made her way up onto the pillars of the ceiling. Delicate hands moved along the wood frame of each long plank. Batman had grabbed Crane by the arm now, it looked as if he were going to damask him. She would have none of that.

Producing a throwing knife from her boot, her blue eyes narrow as she flipped it round and round between her fingers. She would need to do this correctly or Jonathan was going to be a little more than scratched up. "When he moved for his toxin…he moved his…" her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to remember that spilt second "left arm." A flick of her wrist and the knife flew through the air in a downward spiral. Jonathan's sleeve made no sound as the sleeve was sliced through, the pouch hidden there suffered the same fate and Marionette screamed "Cover your mouth and nose you idiot!" Jonathan's hand flew up over his still masked face to cover any chance the toxin had of ever getting in. Still, being it's creator, Crane knew it was time to hurry this along.

Batman stumbled backward toward the open window, rain poured down outside and Scarecrow produced a lighter from his pocket, "You need to lighten up." Howled a monstrous voice. A shift of his thumb, a flick of his wrist and batman was on fire, tumbling out the window and onto the pavement. Blue eyes moved to look for Mari, but she was gone.

A broken beam hung from the pillars, her mask lay shattered on the floor mixed with fragments of the wood.

"She would have inhaled the toxin…" one man blurted out shocked that she wasn't lying there writhing and crying out. "You think it's possible anyone could-"

"No. No, it's impressive but…" Jonathan interrupted abruptly "she was affected but she's arrogant and hates to show weakness, she left because she's messed up and doesn't want us to see her in such a state. The fact that she made it out so quickly…" 'Every time you think you've got me down, I'll make you stop and think again.' "I suppose if anyone weren't so wracked with fear that they couldn't move….it would be her."


	10. Out of Spite

**Chapter Ten-** Out of spite

_'Please...Carrick...leave her alone!' her mother's raspy voice cracked as she held her ground, standing between her daughter and the man she once thought she loved._

_"If she's going to live in this house, she's going to make me some money." the pimp retorted with a snarl, icy blue eyes narrowed._

_"But she's only six years old! She's too young-"_

_"I can think of a few things men will pay to do to her that won't involve penetration." another snarl as he popped his jaw and grabbed his girl by the arm._  
><em>"Carrick, she's your daughter...stop this." a hot tear slipped down the tattered beauty's cheek as her bruised lips trembled.<em>  
><em>"Yes, and yours too...Caroline...like mother like daughter..." a loud slap echoed from wall to wall as Caroline fell to the floor. Mari stayed where she was, seated in a corner, a blank expression on her pale face as unforgiving blue eyes stared at the sobbing face of her mother. Caroline, that was supposedly her mother's legitimate first name...her last name...well it was never said out loud...but she was usually called "Mary" by everybody except Carrick, the man who owned and sold her.<em>

_"Marisol, watch." Carrick snapped as he forced Caroline down onto her stomach, the sound of his belt buckle rang louder then the slap had in his daughters ears. Emotion returned to her blue eyes, blue eyes that matched the eyes of her demon father._

_"Don't you fucking cry!" Caroline snapped as tears filled her eyes "Don't you cry! You ain't got a right, you ain't got a reason!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as Carrick forced her pants down around her thighs followed by her panties. "You ain't got a right to cry!" the curly haired woman cried as she was raped, his rough hand gripped her by the hair, the other held her hip._

_It was filthy, Mari had always hated the way Carrick would beat the women who lived in the whore house, but she could stand it when it happened in front of her. This was different, when he raped Caroline in front of her...it was like being forced to watch something she was never meant to see, like standing alone in a corner with no way out...it only got worse when it became apparent that Caroline didn't mind so much. After a few minutes...her jaw would fall slack and she would moan like the whore she was for him. He was violating her and she loved it. Even as he daughter was forced to watch...Caroline would moan at the top of her lungs, drool slipping down her chin when he dropped a calloused hand to roughly fondle her exposed breast as it slipped from her tattered tank top._

_When it ended, when the screaming stopped, Caroline would lay half naked and completely destroyed on the hard wood floor. Carrick would leave, Mari simply stayed in her corner. "Stop looking at me with his blue eyes..." her voice rasped._

_"You're disgusting." the six year old spat._

_"You don't even know what that word means...you don't even know what you just saw...you're just a little baby." Caroline mumbled uncaringly._

_"I know I don't like how it makes me feel...when he does that to you..."_

_"Well you ungrateful little shit, just be glad I won't let him do it to you."_

_"You'd be missing out then...wouldn't you." there was never a time to be a child...it was either figure it all out or die trying. Marisol Rollins never asked why snow flaked or why the grass was green but at six years old...she understood hatred...and utter disgust, what it was to be repulsed by her own mother._

Marionette stumbled aimlessly through Gotham. Her white combat boots splashed through puddles as her vision blurred and a second wave of nausea swept over her ailing body. Memories swam inside her head, it was as if she couldn't find anything to cling to.  
>'Jason please, I'm scared!' that ten year old voice choked on air. They had been stupid in the past, done things only crazy people would think to do but this was too much for the young Marionette. Her knees trembled as she stared down at the passing cars that had become blurs, the people who looked like ants and the bay that seemed so far away.<p>

"Mari, get away from the edge." her friend chided as he pushed his foot against the rooted material that made up the roof of the abandoned hotel.

_"K..kay." she squeaked moving a foot clad in a black dress shoe back from the edge, her legs of ivory still trembled as the skirt of her blue sundress billowed around her thighs. A loud squeal escaped her lips as the roof broke around her foot throwing her balance way off. The small child stumbled backwards and over the edge of the sky scrapers roof top. "JASON!" it was a cry that made the young Robin hurt. Her friend's hand caught her ankle, his free hand gripped the rail guarding an old fuse box. "Don't let go" she screamed, mahogany curls flailing._  
><em>"I won't...I won't..." Jason grunted as he started to try to hoist her back up. Mari's gaze locked on the ground and she wondered absentmindedly where she would die if she fell.<em>

With every horrific memory there came more nausea and she stumbled deeper into the abyss of her swimming mind.

_ The six year old opened her ice blue eyes when her creaky bedroom door swung open."Shhhh." the man hissed through clenched teeth as he fumbled with his pants. "Carrick said it was okay so just don't move around too much, alright?"_

_"You're not gonna touch me." Marisol stated rather profoundly as she leaned her back against the one pillow she used to make her spring box a little more comfortable. Her tiny had slipped beneath it as he shifted onto her bed. The man sitting before her was young, not much older then twenty five and had big green eyes._

_"You don't have a choice, hun." he mumbled as he reached out a hand to feel over her curly hair. A disgusted tingle ran down her spine as she watched his hand dip into his pants. His erection slipped through the open fly of his jeans and the hand on her head dropped to hold her nose in an attempt to force her small mouth open. _

_With a swing of her arm, Marisol brought a kitchen knife from beneath her pillow, she'd kept it there in case there came a time when she had to fend off some asshole her father was going to allow to lay hands on her. The blade plunged into his stomach. In response the man wheezed falling back in pain as he cried out. The little girl shifted on top of him, straddling his hips as she ripped it out only to shove it back in, sheathing it in his chest this eyes stared into green. A loud squishing sound drown out all other noise as the knife was pulled out and shoved back in yet again. Those green eyes dulled...went cold...and he died. As it happened, Mari's sore fingers loosened around the handle, dark matted curls fell over her shoulders and the door swung open._

_"What have you done?"_

It had been a long, long time since she'd thought back on any of those moments. Fear toxin had brought it all back to the surface and as the rain beat against her skin she seemed to collapse. Marionette's body fell into convulsions, landing in a gutter on the side of an empty, seemingly endless road.  
>The sound of a motorcycle engine being revved could be heard over the down pour of rain as Jason Todd sped down the street. The smell of smoke and gun powder was fresh on his bomber jacket as his blue eyes narrow in an attempt to better see the road behind the mask of the red-hood. When he saw Marionette, Jason's stomach twisted into a tight not, all he could think was...'Let it be anybody else...'<br>The bike squealed as he came to a full halt and turned the key in the ignition.

Everything seemed to stop. Caked in mud, bleeding from the corners of her mouth, his child hood friend screamed, cried and flailed in that gutter. Never had she looked so pathetic, so helpless. Jason approached her slowly, watching the way her hands fought to fend off nonexistent attackers. "Mari." his voice rasped as he knelt down at her side not caring in the least that his jeans were not wet and muddy. For a short moment, she locked eyes with him and for that one moment he knew there was no coherent person inside of his friend. Poor Mari was terrified. Jason's gloved hands snatched her flailing wrists and pulled her shaking form against his chest. Her screams grew louder as she tried to push him away. "I'm here this time, I'm here this time." he tried to assure her. He knew that there were times when she needed him, times he couldn't hold her and he'd be damned if she was going to suffer this alone.

"JASON!" her voice was strained, caught in her throat as she screamed his name and oh how it made him hurt. The flailing stopped, she was limp but awake. His hands guided her face so she would look up at him. Blank, her blue eyes were blank. Those pert lips had parted and she was a shell. Slipping an arm around her waist and one beneath her knees, Jason lifted her bridal style and threw one leg over the seat of his bike. "Hang on, Mari." the former Robin growled as he positioned her safely in his lap and turned the key, speeding down the road. He could only think of one person who would have an antidote, who would help her...but that was one person...Mari didn't want to have to explain herself to. That put Fox off the list. Where the hell would Scarecrow be slumming around? No...first things first...she needed to be safe.

Just outside of Gotham, on the far left of the bay, Jason carried his childhood friend up a flight of stairs and into one of his many apartments. "What have you gotten yourself into, Marionette?" the former Robin grumbled walking down the hall to place her limp body on his bed. The moment she touched the sheets, Mari started to writhe and cry once again. Her body wracked with convulsions and her hands gripped the sheets. It occurred to him that if she continued like this, she would hurt herself. He moved away from the bed and sighed, he didn't want to but he had to. Even though knowing her, she would try to kill him when she came to, Jason opened up his closet, grabbed four leather belts and straddled her hips. Though she kicked, screamed and writhed beneath him he belted her wrists to the headboard, her ankles to the frame and just to be sure she couldn't wriggle out of it all, he tightened a belt around her elbows and knees. Not wanting her to bite her tongue Jason, also gagged her with a clean t-shirt. "I'll be back soon." he knew she couldn't really hear him as she struggled to free herself from his restraints but he wanted to say it and make it true this one time.

As he started down the road again, back tracking from where he'd found her, Jason tried to imagine how hard it must have been for her to go back to being alone. Then again...he'd never given much thought to just how hard it must have been for her to not know why he didn't have time for her anymore before he died. He owed her a lot and he was going to see her live so he could start paying his debt. At this point, Jason hadn't been in Gotham for very long, he was in the process of becoming a crime lord as to control criminal activity in the city. He didn't know the scarecrow's real identity or where he lived...but he knew if there was a poison...Fox had an antidote. Mari would just have to hang on long enough for him to get a hold of it.

Mari's body continued to fight the binds placed on it by Jason. Her blue eyes narrowed and glassed over as she screamed muffled screams into the t-shirt that had been stuffed inside of her mouth. Red marks formed over ivory skin as she fought against the leather. Animalistic growls spurred from her soft mouth only to be muffled by the shirt.

As Jason walked into the darkened room, he made no noise and his blue eyes scanned for any movement. "Now, Mr. Todd, I can only think of one reason you would come to me so late in the night." Fox crooned as he walked up behind the intruder. Back when he would visit Wayne manor often, Lucius watched young Marionette and Jason play together, and he of course knew of Jason's sudden return from the grave.  
>Jason swung around and placed a hand on the handle of his gun knowing he probably couldn't hurt Fox. Jason was no mercenary. "Is she alright?" Lucius asked giving the younger man a look. "Is she safe?"<br>Blue eyes went wide "I have no clue what you're talking about." the last thing Jason wanted was to save Mari and have her sent to Arkham Asylum.

"You wouldn't be here if she weren't in trouble, I know she's gotten to be involved with some bad people. Mr. Todd." Lucius walked toward a small lock box and popped the lid open before pulling out a needle. "One in particular, the scarecrow. Mr. Wayne was here last night inflicted with that toxin. I managed to analyze traces of it found on his skin and create an antidote. I'm not sure if her dose is concentrated or not but if it is, she needs this." he passed the needle to Jason.

Something was off, it didn't feel real. Jason stopped a moment and blinked his eyes a few times, Fox was gone. In front of him was a busted safe and in his hand was the antidote he was seeking. In all honesty, it wasn't the first time Jason had hallucinated since he'd come back. The Lazarus pit had some pretty scary side effects, and the former robin often found himself having conversations with people who simply were not there.

"Seems to be." Jason mumbled and turned to walk out the door.

When Jason got home, Mari had stopped thrashing and she lay unconscious on his a moment as he released her from her binds, one leather belt at a time, Jason looked at her face, how she'd grown so beautiful. Her skin had bruised and gone raw anywhere a belt had been placed, which he'd expected given her condition.

Though he peeled every layer from her frail form, she never so much as stirred from her unconscious state. Curls spilled over the pillow as he lifted her against him. Jason replaced her leather dressings with a loose grey t-shirt and a pair of plaid boxers colored navy and red. As she fell limp against the bed, her childhood friend pulled his thumb across her lower lip and pushed the needle full of the antidote into her neck "What the hell have you been up to?" he questioned gruffly as his fingers pushed stray curls away from her passive face.

Several minutes passed before Jason left the room to go relax in the shower. It was clear she wasn't waking up anytime soon. When those blue eyes finally opened, her vision blurred, rays of light connected to form fuzzy images and she listened to the sound of a woman on t.v. who was giving the weather forecast for the week. Marionette's limbs ached, as if she'd gone head to head with a wild animal, her ears rang and as she shifted off the side of the bed, she tried to figure out where she was.

Soft foot steps could be heard as she walked wordlessly down the hallway toward the source of the noise. "It's funny." Jason remarked from his place in the recliner just as Mari's finger tips brushed the handle of the front door. "It always rains when you get pissed."

"Excuse me?" Marionette shot back raising an eyebrow at her former friend.

"Little princess throws a fit and the whole damn world cries for her...I swear it's always been that way. You'd get upset and it would rain for days in Gotham. You ever notice that?"

"Never." she retorted almost quietly "Why did you bring me here, Jason?"

"Just cleaning up your mess as for usual."

"Bullshit!" her sweet voice chimed "I was always cleaning up after you! It was always-" her voice caught in her throat and she looked away, not in the mood to show him any real emotion "I was always capable of cleaning up after myself."

"Yes, that's why I just found you seizing in an alleyway gutter." his voice was smug, even for him.

Mari's eyes narrowed into icy slits as she stalked toward him "You've yet to see me laying in an open casket." the words slipped from her lips full of poison. When Jason stood, Marionette stopped dead in her tracks and stared up at the hurt in his eyes but never lost the ice in her own stare "Do you have any idea what that was like? How hard that was for me?" she spat "Answer me!"

In truth, he knew that he' hurt her, hurt her in ways he could never fully comprehend, in ways far more lasting then the sting of a crow bar..."Mari, when's the last time you told someone you loved them?"it may have seemed random...but he had to know what damage he'd done.

"None of your god damn business." and he could see in her eyes, read it clear as day on her face, that she remembered that day as well as he did.

_'Jason, I want to talk about something, stop rushing out, where the hell is the fire?' The younger squeaked as she caught her friend by the arm._  
><em>The young Robin cast a glance back on Mari, who was still dressed in her private school uniform, Mari, whose blue eyes were full of emotion because it had been a week since she'd last seen him, Mari, who was dying to push words from behind her pink lips.<em>

_"What is it? Quickly now, Mari, I have to go." Jason insisted as he let his right hand rest on the handle of the front door._

_"I just want to say that I love you, so come back soon...because...I miss you when you're gone." She didn't hesitate to say most of it, Mari had always been good with words but never with emotion. She seemed to function the way a machine did, give her a set of instructions and she would comply...usually. A calloused hand caught the side of her face as Jason pressed his lips firmly against hers."I'll be back before you can miss me." his voice made it a promise and he was gone._

"You lied." Marionette hissed softly looking directly into his eyes.

"I didn't mean to, Marionette, I never meant to leave you all alone." Jason retorted quickly.

"But you did." she wasn't sure if it was the chemical imbalance in her brain, the after effects of that drug or seeing him again in this way...but hot tears filled her blue eyes "You did leave me." that realization seemed to hit her harder and harder every time it left her trembling mouth "Weather you meant to or not and I hate you for it!"

"Marionette, I'm here right now, does that make up for it in the least?" He gripped her wrist, pulling her hand away from the door knob "I'm not letting you walk out that door tonight."

"Why? Because then you'd have to watch me go?" her voice cracked "Ever get that weird feeling you'll never see someone again? Does it ever make you crazy, Jason?" she spoke through clenched teeth framed by perfectly shaped lips.

"Mari-" she dragged her hand away and turned her body around, twisting the door knob as Jason caught her by her shoulder and swung her back around "You-"

"NO!" she screamed pushing on his chest with one hand while trying to break his hold on her shoulder with the other.  
>Jason snaked an arm around her waist and growled low and deep in his throat "Look at me."<p>

She moved to thrust her knee into his stomach only to have his thigh fall between hers"Stop this now!" she snapped.  
>"Right now, Marionette you are scarring the shit out of me, do you understand that?" her childhood friend was close now. His breath, warm and frazzled danced over her soft lips.<p>

"You're not the one whose cornered and pinned." she retorted trying to wriggle her way out of his grasp to no avail. Jason pinned both of her hands above his head with just one of his, the other dropped to her face. She sneered as he slipped his forefinger down her left cheek and pressed his thumb to her right, forcing her to look into blue eyes that took her back to a time when she felt safe...a time when young children couldn't die...a time when she wasn't alone.

"Right now I am absolutely terrified, that I have no idea who my best friend is."

Mari's silent response was to roll her blue eyes before retorting "This has always been the truth, Jason...don't get all melodramatic on me."

"Marionette-"

"Hush...just shut up and accept it...okay..." more words that sounded completely wrong coming out of her sweet mouth. "I have always been a cute manipulative little bitch...it's the truth. To be fair and equally as melodramatic, I really have no clue who you are either, Mr. Hood."

Jason chewed his lower lip looking her over, Marionette had always been delicate, something that seemed so fragile and she had only grown to look even more...frail...like a thin sheet of stained glass that would shatter if touched in the wrong way. "I am still the same person..." Jason husked. "I'm still that same kid who would do anything for you, Marionette..."

"Just let go and leave me to my own devices Jason, you're good at that." her body writhed against his.

"I never imagined I would leave you like that, Marionette, forgive me now." The older hissed.

"I should slit your mother-fucking throat, Jason Todd." She bared her teeth, perfectly sculpted lips framed two rows of perfect white. If there was one thing, Marionette could not stand it was having a man pin her against a wall. She had no weapons, when Jason stripped her of her wet clothes he'd stripped her of her armory as well.

Jason slammed his hand down on her thigh as she moved to put her knee in his balls only to have her swing around and land her fist square in his jaw. The male staggered back in pain, a sting ran through the cut she'd slashed through his chest just the other night. Blue eyes flashed to the angry face of his childhood friend "Nice..." his voice rasped "You're gonna have to do better than that though."

Mari made her move, swaying her body out of arms reach only to have him pick up his pace and throw her to the carpeted living-room floor. Mahogany curls fanned out over the blue floor as she stared up at him, her lower lip curled in pure irritation.

Since when was he so tough? Jason's body covered her own, pinning both of her small wrists in one hand he forced her chin up "For once, stop being so bullheaded and fucking listen...Marionette..." her name was a mere husk of his already rasped voice.

The rise and fall of her chest evened out, her body still hurt and her legs felt like jello. "Fine, I'm listening." her voice came out stubborn.  
>White fell over blue eyes as Jason's lips peeled back "It'll never happen again-"<p>

"I'm supposed to-"

"I said listen!" he barked.

"Fine." she huffed childishly.

"Listen...what happened back then happened."

"Thank you for stating the obvio-"

"Marionette!"

"Sorry-"

"Do not speak."

"Get to the fucking point already. You always fuck around."

"Not when it comes to you...never when it comes to you." he growled as his gaze held hers. "Now Marionette, I know I hurt you, I hurt you in ways I can never make up for but I am here now...you will never be alone like that again. Take my word for it this time."

"How can I?"  
>Blue eyes went wide as Jason leaned down and caught her lips is a chaste kiss.<p> 


	11. Compromised

Chapter eleven- Compromised

A sharp breath ghosted up from the depths of her throat that had gone dry as Marionette slowly let her lips begin to move against her childhood best friend's. To her surprise his kiss wasn't clumsy or unpracticed, not like hers. As his thumb moved soft circles across her ivory cheek Jason smirked and whispered "You really haven't kissed anyone since that day...have you?"  
>"I'm too busy for trivial shit like kissing." the girl responded with a raspy pride hidden in her tone.<br>"Oh? No wonder you look so drunk on just that few minutes."  
>"You're always such a cocky bastard, it wasn't that good of a kiss anyway." her lips pulled back into a small smile as she let out a soft giggle.<br>Jason pulled at her lower lip with his finger and mumbled "Thank you for saving my life, Jason." in a mocking tone.  
>The younger rolled her eyes and shoved him abruptly, sending Jason rolling onto his side. "I'm shocked that you're able to move actually, you're internal bleeding seemed pretty bad. What the hell did you do to yourself?"<br>"It's really none of your concern and trust me, I ache all over but it's nothing that won't heal. I had a treatment not too long ago so I'll live." her voice rasped, as she forced herself to sit up wincing in pain. "I'm completely fine."  
>Jason wrapped an arm around her shoulders "Who are you trying to convince?" his tone masked concern as her round eyes turned weary. He placed his palm on her forehead and bit the corners of his lips "You're running a fever."<br>"For Christ's sake Jason, I'm fine." as she spoke in a wheeze, Mari's head lulled against his chest, safely tucked beneath his chin. Her lungs hurt. Every thing burned and ached, on top of all of that burning and aching she felt as if needles were using her stomach as a pin cushion.  
>Rough fingers caressed her fever streaked ivory cheek as soft warm breaths passed through slightly parted lips. Jason slipped an arm beneath her legs only to have her place a delicate hand on his chest in an attempt to stop him. The former robin shook his head "Don't...stop fighting...just let me take care of you, Mari." his tone was almost hoarse as he lifted his childhood friend bridal style and carried her weak body back to his bed.<br>The old frame creaked as he laid Marionette down on the mattress, dragging a thumb across her lower lip as he studied her face. Though she was weak and weary, though her eyes were lidded and her limbs nearly limp, Marionette could feel his gaze on her face. She could feel Jason analyzing her features with the utmost care. "Wha..." another broken wheeze "What'er you lookin' at? Hm?" she asked as Jason trailed soft touches over her shoulder, down to her elbow and back up again.  
>"I'm just trying to fathom how you changed so much in three years." he mused as his other hand moved over her forehead, fingers gently combing over loose curls. "Bruce must have had his hands full."<br>"C'mon now, we both know..." her breath caught in her throat as black holes started to fill up the corners of her vision "Guys are too afraid of me to..." Mari felt Jason lay a finger down on her full lips, a quiet "Shhh, Mari I need to know who takes care of you when you get hurt..." was elicited from the back of his throat as those black holes continued to grow, eating up what was left of her consciousness.  
>Her soft voice rasped "Marcel, in the woods...just outside of Gotham...by the bay." The last thing she saw was a pair of uniquely shaped lips, set into the most angelic smile. Jason turned on his heel and walked toward his closet. Once adorned in his preferred army jeans and brown bomber jacket with his temporary replacement helmet placed securely on his head, Jason scooped the seventeen year old up into his arms, bundling her frail form in a blue blanket. Soft curls fell away from her face as he walked out into the night air. "Just hang on." Mari cradled against his chest, a few strides of Jason's long legs and he mounted his motorcycle. His gloved hands gripped the clutch as the engine roared to life.<br>The tires kicked up a cloud of gravel, dust and mud as the bike jetted down the street. Blurred colors and fuzzy streams of light zoomed past as the pair tore through Gotham's underbelly. In his head Jason knew this was ridiculous, Marionette Wayne belonged in Arkham with every other murderer like her. No...Jason's thoughts hissed...let the punishment fit the crime. Marionette Wayne was a little girl, a victim of the Dollmaker and of life, Marionette Mathis was a murderer, a lair, and a menace to society. The red-hood's logic said to throw her down in a street gutter and put a bullet in her head. Jason would have done it to anyone else without any remorse but the thought of her staring down the barrel of his gun with those blue eyes, the eyes he'd come to know so well. In his heart, Jason knew he could never pull the trigger.  
>The streets were slick rain, streams of dirty water spurred from around the trail following the tires of Jason's bike. Marionette stayed unconscious, her natural warmth melted into Jason's chest as her body folded with his. She was going to be the death of him. Already his ideals were being compromised and as he broke into a nervous sweat, a searing pain surged through the cut she'd left across his chest.<br>'Jay! Jay! Jay!" a hushed whisper coed at the fourteen year old Jason's ear, her delciate finger prodded at his tanned cheek as one blue eye popped open and he rolled over to stare eleven year old Marionette in the face. Her soft lips had pressed into a smile "Come on." another whisper.  
>The teenage boy rubbed his closed eye with his fist and yawed before raising a dark eyebrow at his friend "Come on what, Mari?"<br>"Rachel and I got the tree up...come down and help us decorate it before Bruce comes home." her smile wasn't genuine, it was nothing short of hopeful.  
>"No." he mumbled sleepily rolling over so he wouldn't have to see the disappointment on her face.<br>"Jason I-"  
>"Just rip the band-aid off now for god's sake, Marionette." his tone was no longer groggy, just cold.<br>"I just thought you might want to help, you do live here too, ya know?" Though she was bull headed, Marionette knew when she wasn't wanted and without another word, she walked out. His bedroom door closed behind her with a loud slam.  
>The truth back then was that Jason had just started to really take Dick's place as Robin. Bruce had instructed that Marionette not know a thing about any of it. Marionette was believed by Bruce to be too delicate for such a thing. She was after all, his baby girl. Jason knew that he would have to distance himself from his dearest friend if he had to keep such a huge secret. Unlike the batman himself, Jason knew how smart Marionette was. He knew that she could figure him out. It was for the best but even knowing that didn't ease the pain he felt when he disappointed her. Over time it became easier to turn his back on her sadness, and more often than not, out of sight was out of mind. Almost nothing compared to her 14th birthday.<br>Night had swept through Gotham along with a thick blanket of white snow. Wayne manor was lit up like an amusement park as it always was around the holidays and also Marionette's birthday. Classical music poured from every window but when Jason opened the door, the scene inside was anything but happy. Rachel and Dick were in the process of restraining Marionette who had fallen into a seizure after seven straight months of not having a single one. "Oh my god..." the words left Jason's mouth mid sprint as he rushed to her side. Seeing her writhe in pain that way, watching her toes curl in her stockings while her eyes rolled back into her skull, Jason could no longer uphold the illusion of not caring. His fingers soothed across her cheek as he whispered sweet nothings to her. While Dick called for an ambulance Rachel stared at Bruce with eyes full of hate.  
>"Did it ever occur to you that you have a little girl, Bruce?" her voice rasped as tears streamed down her cheeks. All the boy billionaire could do was stare at his adoptive daughter as her limbs twitched and her body trembled. It was a seemingly endless ride to Gotham General. Rachel stayed angry with Bruce the entire night. She felt he should have been there for his daughter on her birthday, even more so when she had a seizure. In his head, Jason felt the exact same way.<p>

Guilt always followed memories of that night. All he could do was promise her that he would make it up to her on her fifteenth birthday. He broke that promise too. Now that they were off the road, sticks snapped beneath the wheels of the bike and the former robin had to slow down to avoid flipping the vehicle. A small abandoned looking building came into view and a small grunt left Jason's lips. He kicked the kickstand down into the dirt as he turned the key in the ignition. The more he carried her, the heavier she became.  
>Before Jason could make a noise against the door, it opened. The man staring down at him was tall, bald and lanky. "Give her to me." his tone droned as he took Marionette into his arms.<br>"Holy-crap!" A loud childish voice crooned as stubby fingers pulled at Jason's hand "You're the guy!" Jason looked down into those beety little eyes. "Sis used to talk about you...all the time."  
>"How do you know I'm the one she talked about?" Jason couldn't help smiling behind his mask.<br>Carrying the unconscious teen into the kitchen Marcel hissed "Helmet off, kid. If you're going to walk into someone's home at least have the decency to show your face." his voice was a snap and the Red hood quickly did as he was told, tucking the helmet beneath his arm.  
>"The bike." Anton insisted "She always said you liked motor bikes." The small boy grinned as he tugged on the older's hand once more "Hey...I was talking to you, its really rude to-" Jason pulled his hand away and patted the smaller boy's head as he walked to the kitchen table where Marionette lay unconscious.<br>"Is she gonna be alright?" Jason asked as he reached out to brush her cheek with his thumb only to have Marcel smack his hand away.  
>"She should be fine after I treat her. What she needs to do is take it easy for a few days." his voice was slow and quiet. He spoke as if there was a weight on his chest and his eyes were the kind of hollow orbs only a statue would possess.<br>"Mari?" Jason suppressed the want to laugh "Take it easy? Good luck with that. She's always been nothing but a busy-body." The former Robin watched as the tall slender man slipped a sharp needle into Marionette's arm.  
>"Do you know how this happened?" Marcel raised an eyebrow at he connected the I.V. to a bag of a liquid Jason couldn't put a name to.<br>"I know it has something to do with the Scarecrow." The younger male mumbled as he placed his helmet on the table near his dear friend's thigh.  
>"Crane..." the oldest doll maker sighed. "I told her to steer clear of him if she was going to be poking around that god forsaken asylum."<br>"Crane?" Jason questioned raising a dark eyebrow "As in Dr. Jonathan Crane?"  
>A pair of blue eyes fluttered open, her head lulled to the side as she placed her free hand on Jason's arm "Hey..." Marionette's voice was a soft rasp.<br>A soft, relieved smile swept across Jason's pale lips as he wrapped his long slender fingers around her delicate ivory hand "Hey." he mused.  
>Confusion veiled over her eyes as she took in her surroundings "You actually brought me down here?"<br>"I wasn't gonna let you die, Ms. Mathis." His fingers moved through her curls as he leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to her knuckles.  
>"How stupid on your part..." her smile was meek and it showed every weakness in her soul, mind and body.<br>"Are you feeling light headed?" Marcel asked as he placed the back of his large hand against her forehead. "That's a nasty fever, Marionette." his voice took on a grave tone. "I'm going to need you to tell me what happened so I can figure out how it is I need to treat you." he paused "...and when we figure it out, we're going to discuss privacy and what it means to keep the location of a hide out a secret, alright?"  
>The look on Marcel's face was a warning, a signal, a command...Marionette screamed at the top of her lungs "No!" her voice cracked as a doll-assassin emerged from the shadows, her hand gripped his shoulder and forced Jason down on his knees. The blue eyed male growled low and deep in his throat as the blond forced a machine pistol to the back of his head.<br>"Thank you Cornelia, now-"  
>Marionette cut Marcel off, clamping her pale hand down around her older brother's wrist "No, don't shoot him." the weakness in her fragile form had caught up with her voice and her words were rattled with cracks. "Don't..." a certain emotion filled her eyes as Marcel raised his eyebrow in curious response.<br>"I don't think I've ever seen you get so worked up...Barton would have him killed simply because he creates a weakness in you, Marionette, you know this is for the best."  
>A second doll-assassin emerged from behind the other and forced her hand down on Jason's other shoulder. Marionette stared into the eyes of her childhood friend. "Marcel, I would have died tonight if it weren't for him..."<br>"And now he will die with a man with no regrets."  
>When she realized Marcel wasn't going to change his mind, Marionette yanked the I.V. from her arm, a stream of blood stained her skin as she covered his body with her own. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Marionette knotted her fingers in Jason's dark hair and looked back at her big brother "If they shoot, I'll take at least one hit and we both know I won't survive in my current condition."<br>The tall thin man sighed and put up his skeletal hand "Do not shoot while she's so close to the target. Barton would be rather irate if he came home to his favorite thing dead." Marcel's eyebrows raised as he studied the scene unfolding before him. The way her frail form caved into his any fool could see it would take little force to remove her from the situation. "Stop being childish, he's just another man. There are hundreds just like him, Marionette." Marcel pressed almost without hesitation.  
>Just then a soft sound earned the attention of nearly everyone in the room. "You're not gonna' hurt sis, are ya?"<br>"No Anton." Marcel responded dryly "Just her friend."  
>The nine year old's almost crimson eyes darted from face to face as he fixated on the blood streaming down his beloved sister's arm "Mibs is hurt." his voice rasped as his freckled face contorted with what seemed to be confusion.<br>"Marionette, will you honestly betray-"  
>"NO!" the girl barked in a manor that made a nervous Jason flinch. "But I cannot, will not allow him to be killed simply because he saved my life." her breathing had become shallow, she'd bled out far too much and Jason seemed to be the only one aware of it. The former Robin couldn't help feeling nervous, he'd been in such a rush he'd forgotten to bring weapons. Marionette really would be the death of him.<br>Marionette wetted her lips and drew in a sharp breath "You all taught me to have self respect...how self respecting can I be if I don't value something like honor...we do not slaughter innocents in this house!" the girl's ivory fingers gripped so tightly at his hair that her knuckles went paper white, tendons in her hand begged for release and sent shooting pains up her arms.  
>"He serves no purpose here Marionette-"<br>"He's my friend...I lost him once and I'll be damned if I lose him again."  
>Marcel's voice turned to gravel "Very well...no one is dying tonight...stand down...Marionette...get back on the table."<br>As she removed herself from his form, Jason felt a wave of nervousness ball up in the pit of his stomach. Jason looked up to examine her face, sickly pale with lidded eyes and a weak smile. It made him hurt to see her life in such a fragile state. Through her weakness and mask of pain, Marionette forced a pretty, delicate smile, a smile belonging to a porcelain doll and she winked. A silent promise that she would be okay.  
>"You got lucky." Marcel warned. "If you come back to this hide out I will not hesitate to shoot you on the spot."<br>A cocky smirk crept onto the blue eyed man's lips "I wonder how Mari would feel about that."  
>"You cannot hide behind the girl forever." he barked. "I have no time for you, she needs serious medical attention." Those skeletal hands forced Jason's helmet back into his possession in a way that made the all too clear statement, leave.<br>It was clear that Marionette would be taken care of and so Jason let his gaze slip toward the door "Fine, I'll go..." a soft rasp made it's way into his voice "You just...uh make sure she's alright. I have some business to attend to" his tone darkend as he slipped out into the night. Leaves crumbled and branches snapped as Jason jetted out of the woodland area, not caring anymore if his speed flipped the bike.  
>"Bruce would die if he ever saw you doing that..." her voice was angelic as her haunting eyes fixated on the cigarette placed delicately between the fifteen year old's ivory lips.<br>"I don't really care." stated the little punk as he took another hit.  
>"Jason, regardless of what delusions you've convinced yourself of, smoking that cigarette isn't hurting anyone but you-"<br>"You seem pretty bothered." he scoffed.  
>Her delicate fingers caught the lit end of the cigarette, squeezing it between her thumb and forefinger, wincing softly as the embers burned out on her skin. Jason backed up, tearing the now worthless narcotic away from her prying hand. "What the hell Mari?" he spat, blue eyes wide as she studied the mark left behind on her flesh.<br>Marionette's blue eyed gaze flickered toward her closest friend, one hand clasped the delicate wrist of it's marred mate "I won't let you fall without taking a little bit of the back blast for myself..."  
>"That's stupid, if I jumped off of a bridge would you-"<br>"In a heart beat." she whispered as tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.  
>Swiftly, making his way through the hollowed halls of a Gotham apartment complex, Jason forced himself to grit his teeth. Though it was a shot in the dark, though Jonathan may or may not have been home, according to his work file at Arkham, Dr. Jonathan Crane lived on the third floor, apartmentC13...and the Red hood had always believed that one should...let the punishment fit the crime.<p> 


	12. Losing your memory

_**Authors Note- **Alright my lovelies, I am so sorry this took such a long time and it's short on top of late. I will be updating this story again very soon but I wanted to give you all something. Thank you so much for all of the support and thank you for taking the time to read this story. I hope you enjoy it. Reviews are appreciated. _

_**Chapter twelve- Losing your memory**_

_A dark night sky hung over head as the seventeen year old stumbled down the sidewalk, blue eyes focused on the bridge up ahead. Clad in little more than her white knee length nightgown and one of Barton's old trench coats, Marionette found herself freezing and reluctant to turn back. The smell of rain was still heavy on the cold air. That smell was her only real comfort at the moment. The teenager had no idea where it was she wanted to go, she just knew she wanted to go. Every so often a car would rush past her and a gust of wind would catch her long hair. Puffy blue eyes and trembling lips contorted her usually beautiful face as she clang to the rail lining the bridge that hung over the harbor below. Usually, Marionette would avoid being anywhere near the harbor, just looking at it made her feel as though she were drowning, but drowning was comfortable compared to the pain surging through her chest. Kill the boy. That was her task. Kill Jason. Prove her loyalty to the family. A punishment for saving his life. The usually unconquerable Marionette fell to her knees and pressed her face into the rail, tears slipped down her cheeks like small diamonds._

_A pair of hands found her shoulders and the girl's crystalline eyes went wide as he sat down beside her. "Who-"_

_He simply put his finger to his lips and grinned, matted brown hair hung around a structured face, it hid most of his features but she could see that his arms were strong and his fingers long. He wore clothes that hung on his frame, Marionette made out a tattoo on his arm. Black diamonds. "You seemed, uh…lonely." She could practically hear him licking his lips. "I'm lonely to ya know? I can't remember the last time I had a good" there was so much emphasis on the end of his last word "conversation."_

"_I suppose it all depends on the company you keep." She answered softly, turning her eyes up to the sky. Marionette had no idea who was sitting beside her but no matter how she looked at it, he hadn't tried to hurt her, yet. If he did try to hurt her, she was fairly confident that she'd be able to get away._

"_Psychiatrists, are the uh, worst company to keep." He retorted without looking her way or even picking his head up. "They're always uh, trying to get inside your head. Always uh, na-aging and prying, like a needy little uh, parasite." As he spoke, Marionette turned her attention to his over active hands, fingers gesturing to give more meaning to every word that slipped from his lips._

"_Tell me about it." Marionette mused, unable to help thinking of Jonathan upon hearing that. In the back of her mind she wondered if Dr. Crane ever got home alright._

_The man parted his lips slowly "Does it not bother you that you're uh, sitting beside what could be a total lunatic?"_

"_You never know who you're sitting beside these days." Marionette felt a small, almost defeated smile pull at her lips as she glanced over at him. Matted tangles still cascaded down to his shoulders, his shoulders were hunched and his legs bent at the knees, arms rested across his knee caps. _

_A small sound slipped from her lips as Marionette shifted to her feet and stood. "Strange attire for a late night walk, don't you think?"_

"_I'm a strange girl." Her angelic voice raised just a bit, just enough to hear over the sound of the passing Honda. _

"_Clearly." He retorted as she walked away from him. _

_Marionette hugged herself as she made her way into crime alley. As a child, Marionette knew about bad things but she thought bad things were all that existed. She'd never known any different. She never saw the sun light or another child. Those were joys she never knew until Batman kidnapped her and left her in the care of Bruce Wayne. The sunlight, the laughter that holds the innocence of childhood, those joys were all wrapped up in Jason Todd. To kill him would be to lay to rest all that ever put a smile on her face. _

_Still...honor meant more than her own happiness. Marionette would do everything for her family. The best she could do was make his death her head, killing him would be easy but she knew once she saw those vibrant blue eyes, the thought of killing herself would hurt less. Her slender fingers moved to her soft lips and she whimpered, all this time and Jason Todd's were still the only lips to touch her own. _

_Pain formed winding tendrils that snaked around her vital organs and squeezed. "I wish I'd never fucking met him!" The living doll screamed out as tears streaked her cheeks. "THAT SELFISH LITTLE BRAT!" The slender teen thrust her foot into the side of a dumpster, due to her not wearing any shoes, that was an instant bruise. How dare he? how dare he die and then come back just to hurt her some more? _

_Meow. Marionette blinked her tears away to clear her vision and glanced in the direction of a little grey kitten. "G-go away, I'm allergic to you." the seventeen year old mumbled unable to believe how much everything seemed to hate her tonight. The kitten pushed forward happily and nuzzled her bruised foot. "I said go!" a small push and the little animal stumbled backward. "Run along now." her sweet voice cracked as her hair fell over her shoulders. The moment she started walking out of the alley way, she found the little grey cat on her heels. "Fine." She sneezed a dry sneeze as she felt her airways getting a bit tighter "I'm sure Alfred will have something for you." _

_The walk home seemed much longer due to her inability to stop sneezing her brains out. Something else Marionette found out as a kid was that she happened to be allergic to pretty much every-fucking-thing. Chocolate, bee-stings, any form of nut and 99.9% of all sea food ect. _On top of that she was asthmatic, hemophilic and the list just went on and on. Daily chronic migraines and seizures at least once a month, thank god she grew out of those. Barton kept her healthy and than batman took her away. It wasn't like Bruce never took her too the doctor, he took her about every week. She hated to admit it but it was likely without all the medical treatment from their family doctor, she would not have made it to seventeen years old.

At Wayne manor, all lights were out. It seemed like forever since she'd set foot in the large estate even though it was only days days ago. "Welcome home you little fur-ball." She sneezed one more time as the kitten nuzzled her leg one more time. Marionette simply made her way into the kitchen, to her surprise, the large t.v. in the front room was still on. Fuck. was Bruce still up? The kitten would have to wait a moment or two. Swiftly, with a few silent strides, Marionette made her way back into the main hall and up the winding stair case. Her bedroom door was open, which meant no one had been inside of it as of late. . Alfred usually left it open if he had yet to clean up.

The teenager quickly stripped naked and switched into a pair of hello-kitty sweat pants and a pink v-necked polo. Nimble fingers worked her mahogany curls into a messy ponytail. Next she put on a pair of white socks and checked herself in the mirror. Everything looked natural. Her nightgown and Barton's trench coat were shove into the back corner of her closet, inside a victoria secret bag. There was a knock on the frame of her door and she turned to see Bruce standing there, he looked tired. She'd yet to turn on any lights and so she could not see much of his expression, just the way he was leaning on the frame for support "Bruce?" She asked sweetly, raising an eyebrow.

"You could have called and said you needed a ride home." He said slowly, not letting his gaze drift from her face.

"I wanted to walk." Mari retorted swiftly.

"We need to talk about all this running the streets-"

"Bruce you seem drunk."

"That statement is not going to win every argument, Marionette. I am not drunk."

"No parties tonight?'

"Why do you resent me so much?"

"Because you're a liar!"

"From now on, when you leave, you tell me. You call me to check in, not Rachel, understand?" his tone was dark.

"Whatever Bruce."

"I think we need to re-think that internship as well, You're spending an unhealthy amount of time with that man, you should be with people your own age."

"When are you going to learn that I will do whatever I want?" her icy eyes narrowed.

"When you learn that you can't. Goodnight."

Mari exhaled deeply, something was up. She made her way to Bruce and wrapped her arms around him from behind "Hey…" the teen whispered into his back. He was wearing a long sleeved black shirt that hung loose on his torso. Bruce covered her hand with his own, unable to help wincing slightly "Listen baby girl, I just care about you...you can't just run off whenever you feel like it."

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." she lied. "Bruce?"

"Yes Anette?" god had it been a long time since he pulled that nick name out.

"Happy birthday, I love you."

"I love you too, Baby girl" he responded sleepily.

Marionette slept soundly that night, it had been awhile since she'd slept without dreaming but tonight seemed to be that night. Her head was still spinning slightly and she kept wondering what Jonathan was doing. Was he left to wallow in his own fear gas? Did he die? People seemed to just up and die in her life. Maybe he'd come back and her family would put a bounty on his head as well. God Jason had proved to be the biggest pain in her ass. He was always the biggest pain in her ass. Maybe is was true, what Rachel once told her, that the people you fight with the most are the ones you love the most. She had to love Jason to some depth of her core because she was considering turning her back on her family for him. The confusion filled her head and fueled a migraine. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. If she didn't kill him, she'd certainly beat his ass for causing her so much trouble.


	13. Happy Birthday

Chapter Thirteen- Happy Birthday

A long drawn out sigh slipped from painted lips as Marionette turned a hateful glare toward Rachel who was just getting to be finished prodding at her dress to make sure it fit perfectly to her body. "Try and smile, I know the two of you are always at each other's throats but it is his birthday."

"Easy for you to say." Marionette mused "You won't be here." A small roll of her eyes and she added "I hate missing work for this." with a bitter tone.

"And I hate that you sneak out and make us all worry, you are…" the corners of her lips turned down with hesitation "Fragile."

"Hemophiliac Rachel, I'm hemophiliac, just say it, I've lived with it all my life, it's not like I'm eight and afraid to hear you all say I won't live to be eleven. I lived. I'm seventeen and still here. I'm not afraid to hear you all say I won't live to be twenty-one. There are worse fates-"

"Don't be so dramatic." Rachel smiled pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You look so beautiful."

"Don't I always?" the living doll murmured as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dress wasn't to her usual taste. Marionette preferred lighter colors, white or yellow. The dress was to Bruce's taste, according to Rachel. It was black, strapless, fitted and floor length. When light caught the fabric it glittered in a way that reminded her of a movie star on the red carpet, something she never cared much for. It was over done when it could have been had made it a point to keep Mari to Bruce's taste from her hair to her dress, to her shoes and makeup. All because she'd stayed gone a little later then planned and he was upset. Marionette's mahogany hair was curled into an elegant side ponytail and her make up was light, lips ruby red. "I look like you." She mumbled looking at the D.A.'s assistant.

"You look like a lady, you seriously upset him Mari, be mature and try to make him happy."

"I told him I loved him last night, that happens once every other year. He's happy, I can assure you." Mari retorted with a snarky smile.

Rachel sighed and wrapped an arm around the teen's slender shoulders "Do you insist on being so hard on him? He would give you the world at the drop of a hat, you know?"

"Doesn't make him any less of a waste of space."

"Come on, go say hi. Tell him happy birthday."

"You know, nothing is going to make up for you telling him you won't be staying." The blue eyed teen mused standing up.

Rachel rolled her eyes "I have to work, Marionette."

"Funny!" Mari faked a cherry reply "So did I!"

Her bedroom door closed as the two exited the bedroom and she followed Rachel down the seemingly endless corridor that led to the main stairway. Marionette's adoptive father came up behind Rachel, having just woken up himself. "Morning, how're my girls?" Bruce mumbled sleepily.

"A little ticked actually, why am I up and dressed while you are standing here in a bath robe?" Mari asked turning to raise an eyebrow.

"Awh sweetie, you look beautiful."

"Do I now?"

"Still grounded though." he smiled his trademark smile. The teen simply rolled her eyes in response.

"Of course." It didn't matter to her that she was grounded aside from the fact that it would be harder to sneak out now.

"What time are people going to start arriving?"

"In an hour or so, I have to get ready, Rachel-"

"Actually, I can't stay." The pretty brunette offered him an apologetic smile and Mari reveled in the kicked puppy look on the grown man's face. "I'm sorry Bruce, I just have some things to take care of. I wanted to give you this at least." she explained pushing a small box into his hands. Never being one to dottle, Rachel turned her back and made her way out the heavy front door.

"Who all should I look forward to seeing here tonight?" Marionette asked, not caring much how sad her adoptive father actually seemed to be. In her opinion, the reason he did not have Rachel was his own fault entirely and so he never earned much sympathy from her on the subject. He was a whore. Plain and simple.

"Most of the city." He muttered looking at his young daughter "I made sure to send an invitation to Dr. Crane. I would like to know what kind of man you're spending all of this time with."

"How nice." the younger smiled as she made her way down the steps "I think I will go help Alfred in the kitchen."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

Mari simply nodded in silent response. The kitchen always felt like the farthest walk from every part of the house. "Alfred?" Marionette asked as she closed the door behind her. "Ah-chu!" she sneezed and found herself staring the little grey cat in the face "I remember you."

Alfred smiled as he finished carving up a roast "This little guy a friend of yours? You are allergic you know?"

"Yeah, he just would not leave me alone is all." She explained, giving the kitten a small shove with her heel.

"I see, you look lovely my dear."

"Thank you." She smiled sweetly as she crossed the floor to stand by his side.

"Is something bothering you, Miss?"

"No it's nothing."

"Family knows when you're lying." Alfred said in his usual tone.

"Do they?" Mari asked as she picked up a knife to cut carrots with. Alfred took it away immediately. "I know how-"

"I would rather not risk it." He said kindly.

"I'm almost sick of being treated like I'm made of porcelain." She expressed with a sigh. In the last few months, it had occurred to Marionette that the endless corridors and vast floors of Wayne manor had begun to feel like home. She was no longer trying to play the part of a perfect young lady, instead her honest opinions had been slipping from her lips. "I mean…" her voice softened "It is beginning to feel more and more like an insult."

"Marionette" the old butler said with a bemused smile "What exactly is a Marionette? A marionette is a beautiful doll with strings attached, yes?" his crystal blue eyes fell on her soft features "With a name like that, having such delicate features, how do you expect those around you to treat you, darling?"

"I guess I can understand where it comes from." she admitted softly.

"You guess?"

"I suppose."

"That's a good girl."

The sound of the doorbell caused Mari to look up "I guess that's my cue." Marionette mused as she walked out of the kitchen, door closing quietly behind her. The sound of her high heels on the cast marble flooring was all that could be heard as she approached the large mahogany front door. It opened with a creak and she looked into a pair of striking blue eyes. "Jonathan" her breath caught in her throat as his hands clamped down over her petite mouth. The door shut as the man who was just a little taller then Marionette, pulled her body against his, never once letting go of her mouth.

"I swear to all that is fucking-holy, I will kill you." the psychiatrist growled against her ear. Normally she would have assessed just how angry he had to be in order to be talking in the manner he was, but she couldn't get the image of his swollen face out of the forefront of her mind. "Is there somewhere we can talk, huh kid?" she could practically hear the scowl in his voice.

Now, she could have fought Jonathan off fairly easily, he wasn't a brawler by any means but should someone walk outside, it was best this looked as bad on him as possible. Lifting a slender finger, pointing toward the back yard, Marionette mumbled "There's a garden." into his palm.

Jonathan managed to drag her around the side of the house, all the while Marionette couldn't stop thinking about his battered face. The swelling around both of his vibrant eyes, lower lip split...who the hell…

The garden behind the manor was vast, it held nearly every kind of flower no matter how exotic. In the middle of the beautiful arrangement was an ivory gazebo. Marionette found herself shoved against the railing that lined the floor beneath the roof of the gazebo. Jonathan took a step back, his eyes searching the surprise in the younger's. "Well." he swallowed the knot in his throat "Look at you, alive and well...I will have to find time to ask you about how the toxins affected you because I can't figure out why the fuck you're not wallowing in self misery right now, Marionette."

"Jonathan...what happened to you?" Marionette asked slowly as she held his gaze.

"Your little two-bit boyfriend, that's what happened to me." his calloused hands grabbed ahold of her head, mahogany curls slipped over his fingers as his thumb pulled at her lower lip. "Apparently, I'm the one who drugged you? Is that it?"

"I never-" she was at a loss for words. Jason must have thought, given the circumstances. "How do you know this even had anything to do with me."

"Lets just say the little brat liked to run his mouth and he dropped your name."

"He's impulsive and I never told him anything of the sort, and he is anything but my boyfriend."

"It's nice to see some fear in those eyes for once." Jonathan said as his lips pursed, pure anger still chasing through his irises.

"Oh no, I'm not afraid, It's a gift. I can keep this look on my face no matter how I'm feeling. It's a precaution in case my adoptive father walks out here. I simply can't have him thinking I partake in certain kinds of activity…"

Jonathan let her go, taking a step backward as his hands moved into his pockets "Have you ever been one to fight fair?"

"No, if I fought fair, I'd never win against anyone." her eyes shifted from the insincerity of her fear to a look of sincere honesty. "And Jonathan…" her tone was sweet, eyes almost innocent but he caught that glimmer of insincerity as they changed. Her hand flew across his already swollen cheek "Don't touch my hair." at this point all of her insincerity had washed away exposing a quivering lower lip and frantic eyes, centered pupils and pale skin. Her breathing had become slightly erratic and the doctor raised a dark eyebrow, trying to ignore the searing pain radiating his entire face.

"Hey…" his hands gripped her shoulders as she collapsed against his chest, her breathing still beyond frantic. "You're okay, kid." Jonathan mumbled, holding her a bit roughly by her exposed shoulders "Mari…" he knew she was OCD, it was impossible not to see that but he had no idea just how severe it was. "It's alright...I won't do it again." he soothed. The seventeen year old had burst into violent hyperventilation and choked up sobs. The most amazing thing to Crane as a psychiatrist was her composure and how long she'd managed to keep it with an OCD like this one.

"I won't do it again." the blue eyed man massaged circles into her ivory shoulders. "You're okay, it's okay." very slowly, he felt her become less tense, she leaned into his chest and felt herself starting to relax. "Good girl." He wrapped an arm around his waist to steady her "Good girl, you're doing great, calm down." though he'd spent very little time actually treating the patients in the ward, he did a degree that stated he should be able to help them. Marionette may not have been a patient, didn't mean she didn't need to be.

"Thank you, Jonathan…" her voice rasped as she felt her fingers letting go of his jacket. His hands cupped her face, turning her head up so her eyes met his "Would you like to start having daily sessions at 2:00?" his smile was a twitch of his lips.

"No thank you, I like my therapy without torture."

"Always the brat. aren't you, Mz. Mathis." Jonathan mumbled in response as she stood up straight, looking herself again. Calm and and composed. The natural ice had sleeted back over her blue eyes.

"You should probably leave." Mari stated softly. "You look like you got hit by a car."

"How polite of you." The blue eyed man mused fixing his silver rimmed glasses. "I think I'll stay, I work in an asylum, Marionette. I can certainly explain a few bruises on my face. Patients are often temperamental."

"Oh?" she raised a dark eyebrow as her delicate fingers prodded her head, trying to push every strand of hair back into place. "I can't imagine why?"

"Imagine what you would do if I tried to sedate you."

"Charming." the teenager smirked turning her back to him.

"Marionette…" Jonathan stopped her before she could leave the garden "Who was that kid? The boy you call Jason."

The seventeen year old swallowed the knot in her throat and turned her eyes to the man she'd been interning for. "He was like my older brother once. I guess that's why he attacked you, it's only natural that he'd try to hurt someone he thought might of hurt me. After all...when we were kids...we were inseparable."

"Make sure you make it very clear, that I did no such thing. In fact, you-"

"I miscalculated." her mouth set into a hard line "It wouldn't have happened if you knew how to fight." her sweet voice became condescending "So, Johnny-boy, do yourself a huge favor...and man up."

"Your mood swings are going to be the death of me." the older man mused with a sigh, not trying to get into a fight he knew he couldn't win. She was always right no matter how wrong she actually was.

"And your incompetence is going to be just the same." another sickly sweet smile "I really have to get back, Jonathan. It's my job to greet whoever comes to the door."

"Save me a dance." the psychiatrist smiled a small close lipped smile.

Marionette glanced at him over her shoulder "You might have to get in line." the living-doll winked a beautiful blue eye before disappearing around the side of the house.

An hour passed, Jonathan stayed in the corner near the buffet table, observing everyone from a distance. For the past hour he'd watched the large ball room go from empty to nearly full. Marionette had greeted each guest with a charming smile and a look in her eyes that said 'You're exactly the person I wanted to see'. It was an aspect of her that had the doctor so taken. She was a brilliant liar and actress but it came so naturally to her. He'd watched her have an OCD break down not even two hours prior and now she was the belle of the ball.

Sometimes he wondered if the girl even had what one would call a "Self". Did Marionette Mathis have a personality that she considered to be her own? Or was she truly just a sociopath with the ability to blend into any crowd? Light music hung on the air as the sky outside grew darker.

"Dr Crane, I presume?" the voice was masculine but smooth.

"Yes, can I help you?" Jonathan asked looking the birthday boy straight in the face "It's a lovely party you've thrown together."

"Thank you, my daughter helped to put it all together so be sure to tell her what a good job she did." his straight face almost reminded Jonathan of Marionette. Perhaps he wore a mask as well. It would explain a few of her complexes. "You've been spending an awful lot of time with her-"

"She's a rather diligent worker." The psychiatrist stated slowly "If she volunteers to stay and finish up the filling for the day I don't try to stop her. She's a very insistent little girl."

"That would be the understatement of the year." Bruce mused. He then looked Jonathan in the eye "What happened? Rough day at work?"

"Yes." Jonathan moved a hand to fix his glasses "A patient got a little out of hand, it's really nothing."

"I see."

Marionette appeared silently at Jonathan's side with a pretty smile "I promised you a dance, Dr. Crane. Sorry Bruce, I'm going to steal him away for a song."

The teen led him out onto the dance floor and Jonathan took one of her delicate hands in his, placing his free hand on her slender waist. "Thank you,"

"For saving you?" she questioned as they swayed to the sound of the song, mimicking the couples surrounding them.

"Yes, if that's what you want to call it." The brunette said with a soft cackle.

"You know." the girl stated softly as she wrapped both of her arms around his neck "You're the only man, in this entire house that hasn't told me how beautiful I look tonight." her lips formed a soft, ruby red smile.

"Well you d-"

She shook her head, laying a slender finger to his full lips "Don't say it." she whispered as her blue eyes lidded and she stared up at him through a curtain of long dark lashes. Her ivory fingers moved through the hair on the back of his neck, feeling over the texture as she eyed the stubble that adorned his jawline "I was getting really sick of it, honestly."

"Society likes to appreciate beautiful women, get used to it."

"Society likes to appreciate the bosom and posterior." She stated sardonically "It has nothing to do with beauty. What I do….is beautiful...what I am is human."

Jonathan found himself biting his tongue as his calloused thumb moved over her cheekbone all the way to her ear lobe. His nose brushed against hers and there was a loud rumble. Marionette jumped looking over her shoulder "What was that?" she gasped, surprise filled her azure eyes.

A tensioned hush fell over the crowd as Crane looked up, hands on Marionette's shoulders, eyes scanning the room "Something is wrong." he mumbled as his lips pursed.

"Jonathan…" time seemed to freeze as the sound of glass busting from window panes filled the air. Glittering shards burned bright as they cascaded to the vast linoleum floor. Chaos. Utter chaos broke out, people ran, some panicked while others crowded at the only exit door, pushing, trampling, anything to get out.

Marionette stood there, still as a statue at the heart of it all. Glassy eyed and cherry lipped with fire filling her irises, she was at a loss for words. In her head she knew that she was a different person now but she couldn't help remember...the first time she ever saw the sun. The day of the Blackgate break out, when her parents died...and she opened that whore-house door for the very first time. Fire in the streets….people running and shouting. In remembering that little girl, the little girl suddenly came back to life and Marisol Rollins was frightened once again. Where was Barton Mathis to save her from the hell surrounding her still form?

More panic, more fear. The room had started to fall apart, burning into the ceiling and pillars, black smoke had started to fill the non ventilated room. If they didn't burn to death, people were going to suffocate.

With smoke so thick it was getting hard to see. It filled her lungs and burned her throat. A rough push and she found herself cascading to the floor. She'd broken from her nostalgia in time to catch herself on her hands and knees. A bead of drool slipped from her lips, puddling onto the floor. "MARIONETTE!" Bruce screamed from the other side of the room. The girl's eyes had locked on the silhouette of an unconscious Jonathan Crane and her beating heart filled her ears. Bruce had started making his way toward her only to have her lunge forward, away from her adoptive father, her body disappeared into the blackness of the smoke. A flaming pillar cracked and tumbled to the floor behind the young Marionette.

"Jonathan!" she rasped, nearly unable to breathe due to smoke that seemed to be getting thicker and thicker. The teenager choked as she hooked her arms around Jonathan's torso, heaving as she made an attempt to lift him, only to fail and fall to her knees. Light headed, she felt dizzy and her head began to pound, she allowed it to rest on Jonathan's chest. "Wake up…" she coughed out, feeling nothing but a dryness on her tongue, able to taste the smoke on the air "Jonathan...pl..please...wak-" The sound of flames popping and the frame of the room cracking were getting to be more and more faint, just like the sound of Bruce calling her name. Slowly, Marionette's heavy eyelids closed and a pained groan slipped from her full red lips. Black holes ate up what was left of her consciousness and then there was nothing.


	14. Kissing Crows

Chapter fourteen- Kissing Crows

Sirens screamed out into the opaque night as a gurney trembled and squeaked beneath a nearly unconscious Marionette. "Quickly, she needs medical attention now." She was almost sure that was Bruce's voice. A breathing mask was placed on her delicate face and the ambulance doors closed. Blue eyes shifted to the side where Crane laid in the same state as the seventeen year old, on his own gurney with his own breathing mask. Everything was happening in hazy flashes now.

For the life of her, Marionette could not figure out why Jonathan was worth so much trouble. She could have easily gotten herself out but he looked so small in that corner, all alone. Her blue eyes stayed focused on the man beside her. Jonathan's movement was shaky but he slowly removed his breathing mask "I'm sorry, Kid." Crane rasped.

Marionette wasn't able to respond in words, she just stared at him confused. What was he sorry for? He set his mask back in place and Marionette found her vision being eaten away by nothingness once again.

000

Everything was still a hazy mess though her lungs no longer burned. All she knew was that she'd been moved from the ambulance and Jonathan was nowhere to be found. The constant pounding in her head kept Marionette from glancing around or asking too many questions though she had quite a few to ask. She was seated upright on a lumpy hospital bed. Beside the bed sat a silver tray adorned with a few needles, a scalpel and a bottle of peroxide. Just by the feel of the fabric against her skin, Marionette knew she'd been changed into something that wasn't her dress…but it didn't quite feel right…it wasn't a hospital gown.

The man in front of her was thin and had a bony face. He reminded her of the heroin addicts she liked so very much to carve up. She'd never seen such a malnourished doctor before. He talked the entire time she was half awake. Marionette had only managed to catch bits and pieces of the things he said. 'It'll be okay.', 'We'll have you out of here in no time.', 'Stay still.'

What felt like an hour passed and the haziness started to clear. It was like hysteria lifting from her already mixed up mind. "You're looking much better now, Miss Mathis." stated a young nurse as he shined a bright light in her left eye.

"I don't feel so great, I'm still so light-headed." The teenager mumbled placing her head in her hands. Only then did she notice that the sleeves on the garment she wore were rather long, So long she had to tug them back a bit to find her fingers. she wore nothing around her wrist. No hospital bracelet. The fabric adorning her body at the moment was a strait-jacket, not buckled up obviously and 2X her size, it hemmed at her knees. Leather straps hung listlessly from the sleeves.

"That's only natural, sweetie."

"Where is Jonathan?" She asked, not lifting her head from her hands. Mahogany curls fell over her shoulder.

"Dr. Crane?" The man asked with an arch of his brow "He's in Arkham."

"Excuse me?" Marionette insisted, biting at her lower lip.

"Arkham Asylum." He repeated slowly.

"Yes, I'm asking why? He was injured-"

"He will receive ample care, stop getting so worked up, you're going to hurt yourself."

The room was practically spinning. Her eyes shifted to a crack in the ceiling "Odd…"

"Something wrong?" asked the thin man with pale green eyes.

"That crack...we are in room B204...aren't we?" she asked as her eyes stayed on the little break. Room B204 was the only hospital room she'd ever received care in. As her mind caught up with her, Marionette started to better assess the situation. This man wasn't a family doctor. No way in hell would Bruce ever let a random physician treat her. This wasn't Gotham general…but the white walls, dim lights and cold floors were all familiar none the less.

"Yes, the crack has always been there, we don't have the best of funding, child."

"Really?" Marionette's vibrant eyes met his.

"Ye-yes, Miss Mathis, mind telling me what's-." He was beginning to look a little unnerved.

"That's odd because I've spent nearly every day of my life since I was eight years old in room B204 and I never noticed it once...and seeing as you've yet to try and give me a clotting treatment...I have to assume." she shifted to stand straight up "That family didn't hire you."

The man started to back up a bit as Mari's fingers curled around the leg of the metal tray beside the lumpy bed. "I've also spent more than enough time in Arkham asylum to know when I'm sitting in it."

"Now don't jump to any-" the man was cut off when the metal stand slammed into the side of his emaciated face. His body crumpled to the cold floor and the teenager thrust her foot into his spine earning a pained yelp from his trembling lips.

Marionette breathed and brought the side of the stand down on his head with a harsh slam, the sound of his cheekbone cracking filled the nearly empty room and he howled like an animal in pain. "Did you start the fire at the manor tonight?" The seventeen year old demanded.

"No-no…" he choked as his mouth filled with blood.

The girl raised an eyebrow "Do you know who did?"

"Crane knows…" he whimpered.

"Fine then." One more drop of the trey and the man spoke no more. Unable to leave a job unfinished, Marionette grabbed the row of gauze and fashioned a strip into a pretty bow. Delicate fingers slammed the bow into his crushed mouth and she grabbed the room key from his coat pocket. "Thanks so much." She smiled glancing back at the puddle of blood forming beneath his head.

After snatching up the scalpel, the teen walked out the door, leather straps swaying from the sleeves if the strait-jacket as she sauntered down the hallway. As she walked, she took the time to think about her current limits. The last treatment she had was illegitimate and may or may not have been fully effective. she fumbled with the scalpel as she chewed her lower lip in thought. Empty. After a moment or two she slipped the scalpel into her bra for safe keeping, making sure to position it in such a way that it wouldn't nick her skin.

Her eyes searched the halls for anyone. The asylum seemed so empty. The floor was ice cold on her bare feet and she sighed knowing she would have to find shoes somewhere. At the end of the hall, there was an open door. She had to doubt it was intentionally left that way. Quietly, she made her way to the oddity and pressed against its cold surface, peering around the side. The door was propped open by a metal wedge and inside, there was Jonathan in a full body strait-jacket.

"I know you're there, Kid." He mused not looking up.

Marionette walked into the room and placed her hands on her hips, long sleeves trailed down to her ankles none the less. "Nice, you really do pull off everything." The psychiatrist mused, clearly hyped on some kind of drug.

"Jonathan I have some questions…"

"Shall I answer you in every smart-ass way I can think up?" his blue eyes, more glossy than usual stared into hers.

Her foot steps were silent as she walked right up to him, almost nose to nose. The sound of her fingertips stinging his face filled the air and echoed off the walls "I do not have time or tolerance for idiocy, I have some questions…"

He was cackled with a small smile "You don't scare me, Kid."

"I'm not the one who's tied up."

"You're half way there." He mused. Another harsh slap. "Fine. Just cut that out." He breathed. "It's demeaning."

Pink lips pulled into a small, silent smile "I recall you apologizing to me in the ambulance…why?"

"Simple, I did something wrong."

"Did you have anything to do with the manor catching fire?"

"I mentioned the league of shadows to you once, do you remember?" Jonathan raised an eyebrow as sweat slicked over his skin.

"I remember…"

"There's your answer."

"I see, you're a pawn. Someone's dog."

"Like you." He smirked.

"Why is the asylum empty?"

"The city is going straight to hell outside, better to stay here, Marionette…fire…fear gas…panic…it isn't pretty out there…not now that every lunatic in this place is running the streets."

Marionette's eyes went wide. Barton was free? "Why was I being kept here, who was the man watching me?"

"What makes you think I know anything about that?" Crane asked looking her over.

"Just a hunch…tell me."

"His name was Earl Chelsea, I presume your being here means he's dead? Did you stick a needle in his neck?"

"No." she pursed her lips "I broke his fucking jaw."

"He was just some homeless moron that turned to crime. He's one of my guys, initially but everyone who works for me of course works for my boss. It's likely my boss wanted to talk with you and had you locked away for safe keeping."

"Is he disappointed in you? Is that why you're here?" Marionette pressed as her eyes held his gaze.

"Most likely, he has no more use for me…the toxin has most likely already hit the open air…"

"How are we going to-"

"Help me out of this and I'll show you."

"That all depends, what drug are you so fucked up on?" her eyes flickered from one feature of his disoriented face to another.

"Watch your mouth, Brat." he mumbled as his eyes shifted to the side and he smiled lazily "Why does that matter?"

"You could potentially be useless to me." she stated placing her covered hands on her hips in a cute manner "Why didn't they fasten my jacket."

Crane glanced at her "A couple of reasons, one being that it's too big and two, no offense sweetie you don't look like much of a threat to a grown man." her face was unamused and he sighed "And it's been a few hours, it was my own fear toxin."

"Project of the year is building up an immunity to that, yes?" the living doll inquired with a smirk as she moved moved her hands to loosen the belts binding his movement.

"Marionette, once I give you a mask...are you going to run back to your supposed father?"

Her eyes met his and bit her lip "Honestly, I have no clue what I'm going to do once I get out there. I don't think this is my fight...I think I'm supposed to play the part of a scared civilian...I mean...that's what Bruce Wayne's daughter would do."

One of his arms now free, Jonathan trapped her chin with his fingers "What would you do?"

She swallowed the knot in her throat and whispered "What I've always done, whatever it takes to survive."

"What is that in your case tonight?" Jonathan asked slowly as he brushed his thumb across her lower lip.

"I have to find my father."

"So you're going to run?"

"I'm going to protect my family." She stated profoundly.

"Are you afraid?"

"Terrified." she admitted softly backing up after his straitjacket was fully undone. Crane stood and looked her over "Let's go, there are two gas masks in my desk."

"Standard office supplies." the seventeen year old mused as they walked down the empty hallway side by side. "You know, last time I walked into a tricky situation with you, I ended up in a street gutter freaking out on hallucinogenics."

"I'm aware, it was incredible to me that you were able to walk."

"You and me both."

The pair rounded a corner and Jonathan opened up his office door. Marionette closed it behind her as she watched him start to fumble through his once again messy desk. "I miss one day and you destroy all my fine work."

"Tell me Miss Mathis, do you ever run out of smart-mouthed comments?"

Mari pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest "No, I don't."

"Wear it" he mumbled flinging a gas-mask her way. She caught it swiftly and her eyes held a hint of 'you throw like a girl.'

"Not one word. You ready?"

Marionette glanced down at her bare feet "Um no...I need shoes."

"Afraid of stepping on something sharp?"

"I don't handle pain well."

"Are you joking?"

"No."

Crane sighed and placed his face in his palm "Do you have any idea where they put your clothes?"

"No, and even if I did, those high-heels would hardly be proper attire."

"What would you like to do about this, hm?" he was clearly getting impatient "Your house burned down, remember?"

"I'm positive there's a store somewhere near by."

"Now is hardly the time to go shopping."

She raised an eyebrow at him "I'm a pretty decent thief, not to mention, I don't think anyone cares what's going on with that kind of hysteria spreading like wild fire."

"I take it I'm supposed to carry you outside than?"

She nodded as she pulled the gas-mask on. Once Jonathan had his mask secured he scooped her up bridal style and she snickered "I'd of settled for piggy-back, you're such a gentlemen."

"Shut your mouth." Crane mumbled in irritation "I swear I've never wanted to wring a kid's neck so much in my life."

"It's a gift." she chimed leaning her head into his shoulder. "Hey Johnny, why aren't you married? You're a psychiatrist, you're decent looking, what's the deal?"

"I find that my conversational skills seriously diminish as time goes on. I'm a loner and it's none of your business."

"I picture you killing animals behind your house as a kid, am I right?"

"Crows."

"Why?"

"They scared me." he explained quietly but without a hint of emotion.

Marionette simply smiled "You call me crazy."

"You butcher people."

"Just whores, just people who can be erased." her voice was sweet and doll-like.

"You talk like they were nothing more than barbies."

"They are now." she smirked feeling content.

"You're a little monster, you know that?"

"I didn't mutilate birds to get off." she retorted quickly.

"How do you figure that's how I got off, I told you, they scared me. The same way I assume grown men and bacteria scare you."

"Grown men don't scare me." The seventeen year old mused, her voice a bit muffled by the mask.

"Oh yes they do." Jonathan's retort was smug "You might make direct eye contact with a man but you won't get too close. You stay near a door. You make sure there's a way out."

"I'm sorry but when did you start monitoring every conversation I ever had with a man?" she asked inquisitively.

"I-..." his voice caught in his throat. It wasn't like he intended to pick up on her habits around other men. He wanted more then anything to focus only on her habits around him. Fuck other men.

"In truth it has nothing to do with gender, sometimes I get a weird vibe off of a person...sadly I have to say I feel my safest around lunatics."

"There isn't anything wrong with that, Marionette." he said slowly as he rounded a corner "Lunatics tend to make habit of showing their most honest self when they come into contact with other people, real people make habit of lying through their teeth. If a lunatic wants to hurt you, you can at least see it coming."

"That makes more sense than it ever made when I tried to explain it to myself." Marionette whispered quietly.

"I'm trained to explain your emotions to you in such a way that you can better understand them."

"We should talk more." the girl mused.

"It's not too late to schedule those two-O-clock sessions." He smirked ever so slightly.

Marionette nudged the front door open with her foot and Jonathan carried her outside. The sky was black, and flames danced toward it. Panic was fresh on the air, leaving a heavy feeling on Marionette's chest. It wasn't the first time she'd opened the door to a literal hell. It took her a long time to understand that the sky wasn't always falling down, that cars weren't always burning and people weren't always being murdered out in the open.

"Marionette?"

"I'm okay…"

"You're shaking." Jonathan held her a bit closer, rubbing his hand up and down her arm as he made his way down the street. Arkham being on a hill, they were pretty far away from where all of the chaos happened to be. In the middle of the city. It would be a long walk.

Jonathan heard a loud rumble and squinted his eyes in an attempt to see farther in front of him "Is that a motorcycle?"

Marionette shifted a bit to see the singular headlight. "Jason?" she questioned as she arched a dark eyebrow. "What is he doing?"

"Looking for you, I'm sure." Crane tightened his grip a bit, little did he know he was leaving bruises on Marionette's arm and thigh.

Jason came to a sideways halt right in front of them, tires screeching, and a new red mask adorning his face. "Give her to me." his voice was a demand.

"Jonathan, set me down please." Marionette instructed softly, certain there was nothing on the ground so far from the city and so near a secure sector that could cut her bare feet.

"Are you sure."

"You heard her, come on Mari, get on the bike." another predatory growl.

"I'll be okay." the teenager said softly and Crane set her back on her feet, feeling a bit relieved. He was all of three or four inches taller than Marionette and so she got heavy quickly.

"I heard about the manor, I was so worried, Marionette, if anything ever happened to you-" his sentence ended abruptly when Marionette thrust the scalpel into the right side of his chest. Jason cried out as she used the rest of her weight and his moment of vulnerability to knock her childhood best friend off the seat of his motorcycle.

Her hand moved up and down aggressively, each hit landed the scalpel somewhere in either Jason's chest, arm or shoulder. "I swear I'll fucking kill you!" the living doll screeched an agonized screech as white hot anger and tears blurred blue eyes vision. Jason let out a cry of pure terror because the girl on top of him looked nothing like the child he'd loved so much. The gas-mask hid all emotion aside from the sadism in her icy eyes. It became apparent to Jason that Marionette actually wanted to kill him.

"Stop it!" the red hood growled as he swiftly took hold of her shoulders, rolling Mari onto her back, curly hair fanned out beside her head due to her ponytail and Jason's breathing grew labored. The scalpel hurt but didn't do too much damage.

Jonathan stood there shell shocked, he couldn't believe Marionette had just lost all self control, so very suddenly. Crocodile tears lined her eyes and pooled at the top rim of the gas mask. Jason's gloved thumb traced over the shell of her ear "I'm sorry, Mari." though his voice was slightly muffled due to his own mask, she knew he was being genuine. "All this sadness...you don't deserve it, Mari."

In one moment, Crane started to realize Marionette did not belong to him. For the first time, it was apparent that her heart was somewhere else entirely...stuck three years in the past and trapped there. Jonathan found himself walking away, he had no desire to watch he have another break down, not while another man was the one soothing her. Another man would have started a fight, another man would have fought for the girl he….no...never that word….

Jonathan was never much of a fighter...and for the first time he wished he'd locked Marionette up in Arkham...he wished he'd of taken advantage of her trust and given her a dose of fear toxin. In a cell, no other man could see her, in a cell...she'd be like a caged bird...like his own personal pet...his very own little black crow.

"Let me go Jason." she snapped, madness still running rampant in her eyes as she thrashed, kicking and screaming to the point of making herself light headed. Jason's rough grip snatched her wrists up, with just one of his hands "Jonathan!" she shrieked.

Jason placed his free hand on her forehead to hold her head in place "He's gone, Marionette, that coward is already gone. He left you." The red hood shouted in her face "Marionette, he left you!"

"No better than you." her voice was weak.

"I always came back to you, Marionette, I keep coming back, can't you see that!" Jason barked.

"Jason-" she quipped.

"No you are going to fucking listen this time, I just drove all over this godforsaken rotting hell hole of a city to find you!"

"Jas-"

"TELL ME ONE MORE FUCKING TIME THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU!" He wore a mask and so she couldn't see his face but she knew that certain hint of agony that lingered in his voice meant he was crying.

"I don't need saving, Jason…"

"No…" his voice was gruff, trying to hide that pain "You don't...but you did once...you needed saving a million times and I wasn't there...just give me a chance to make up for it."

Marionette's slender fingers flexed and she felt her heart sinking down into her stomach "Can't you just let me hate you, Jason? Do me that one kindness and let me hate you!"

"I can't live like that."

"You did once."

"Never again."

"You hurt Jonathan-"

"He hurt you…"

"I don't know what to do anymore, Jay." the blue eyed girl admitted for the first time in years.

"Just let me take care of you, three years ago you kissed my lips and said you loved me, three years ago I turned my back and let you down, you never said those words again, I'm here, Marionette, I'm still the same, where's my girl?"

"She's dead."

"I don't accept that."

"No one's asking you to" the girl retorted like a viper.

"No, you don't understand, I won't accept that." a rough yank and Jason contorted her into his arms, holding onto her tight as if she could struggle enough to get away from him. The long sleeves on that strait-jacket left her fairly restricted.

"Jason, what are you doing?"

The anti-hero placed her on the seat on his motorcycle, and gripped her shoulders "You used to put my cigarettes out with your bare fingers, you would tell me that because I was hurting myself you would do whatever it took in order to make me stop, even if it meant you had to get caught in the fray…"

"So?"

"So I'm going to put an end to this masochistic behavior, Mari. I'm not going to sit by and watch you kill yourself."

"Jason I'm already living past my life expectancy…"

"And?" The red hood drew a pocket knife from the side of his leather jacket and cut a slit into each of her sleeves, one rough tug on each side and the bothersome sleeves were gone, torn up to her elbows.

"Jason why are you doing this?"

"Because I've decided the most horrific thing I've ever seen was you in that street gutter….so scared and vulnerable...all your fire, all that spark, reduced to ash...never again."

"Aren't you supposed to be the good guy? Why aren't you saving the city, Jason?" her doll-like voice mused.

"In all honestly? No, I'm not the hero, I'm not trying to be, there will always be another skyscraper, Mari, another Gotham...this isn't your fight believe it or not, Those buildings can be replace but there isn't anyone or anything in this world that can replace you so for fucks-sake let me take you somewhere safe."

"You're bleeding." Marionette whispered watching the blood seep through the t-shirt he wore beneath his jacket.

"Yeah." she could almost hear him laughing sarcastically "Yeah you really bruised my skin."

"And you're still here?"

"At this point you might have to do a little more then stab me to make me go away, I'm starting to expect blood loss whenever I see you these days"

"You really haven't changed?"

"No, I'm still the same punk-ass little bastard who refuses to tuck in his shirt, Mari, and there's still no kind of trouble in this world I want to start or get into without you right beside me."

For a moment she actually believed him, and in that moment she was happy that she couldn't see his face because his blue eyes would have drawn her in even deeper. "The same guy who turned his back to me three years ago."

"I'm here now."

"And you'll leave again."

"No!" he yelled in a manner that would make most people jump three feet in the air "Marionette, what do I have to do? How much blood do you have to drain from my body before I'm forgiven?"

"All of it."

"Come home with me and I might let you do exactly that." he said softly, moving his hands from her shoulders to her wrists and back up again.

"Deal." her lips formed an amused smile behind her mask. "So dramatic."

The motorcycle ride was a long one because Jason tried to avoid Gotham all together, they traveled on the outskirts of the city, making their way to the other side of the lake after several hours. "Will the city still be there tomorrow?" Marionette asked over the sound of the wind. Her eyes had locked on Gotham as it grew smaller and smaller behind them. Mayhem wasn't enough to express what was going on there.

"Yes it will." Jason stated without a doubt. He knew Bruce would handle everything, for now Jason's only focus was keeping Marionette safe.A selfish focus but his focus none the less.

"My family…" her voice rasped.

"Will be safe and sound, I promise."

"Jason…."

"You need to rest."

One of Jason's several safe houses came into view. This one resembled a log cabin and it blended in rather well with the forest scenery.

Jason parked in the back and wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders, leading her inside. A flick of a switch and he lit the living room up. Jason locked the door and placed his helmet on the very top of the coat rack. The room was simple but cute, couch, t.v., mini fridge, the works. Everything was either polyester or cherry wood. "Very nice." Marionette yawned starting to remove her gas-mask. Before she could even set the garment down, Jason's mouth claimed hers.


	15. Little Broken Bird

Chapter 15- Little broken bird

"Put this on…" Jason husked as he shoved a red helmet into her arms. Marionette ran her fingers over the sleek texture of the object she was holding as she began to turn its face upward for inspecting. The eye slots were silvery around the outside and were shaped like angry, unforgiving slits.

The red hood glanced over at his childhood friend "It's my old hood, wear it...protect your face."

"Thank you" her blue eyes lidded as she tucked the helmet under one arm and started to work her hair into a more controlled state. Nimble fingers fixed her hair into a tight bun at the top of her head before pulling some of it through the center to make a ponytail.

"Very nice." Jason mused.

"Rachel taught me that years ago." Marionette retorted as she placed the helmet over her head.

"Are those clothes comfortable?"

"Surprisingly yes…" her voice was a bit muffled from behind the helmet. She couldn't have worn the straitjacket to battle and so Jason had given her some clothes he had kept away in his bedroom. The outfit was consistent of a blue under armor turtle neck, a silver vest and a pair of black pants with a black belt. The gloves he'd given her were a gaudy yellow and they were a little big on her smaller hands. "Whose clothing am I wearing anyway? Or do you just keep female clothes in your drawers for fun, Jay?" he could hear her snickering.

"A one night stand, actually." He said pulling his own hood over his head.

"That's disgusting Jason." Mari mumbled as her brows furrowed behind the mask "I know you lost your virginity at thirteen but-"

"Hush." he chuckled handing her a gun to clip onto her belt. "It's a flare gun, only use it if you need to, I know you aren't real big on guns because they bruise your hands."

"Are you ready?"

"I can't believe you want to go back out there, this isn't your fight."

"I'm not a hero, Jason. I won't go rushing into battle to save this godforsaken city. Gotham has had this coming for years. Nevertheless, I need to get back to my family."

"Every part of my body wants to cuff you to a pipe...you're dangerous Mari, you may belong in Arkham."

"That makes two of us."

"I'm serious." He pushed her back against the wall near the door and his hands gripped her arms.

"You just confuse yourself when it comes to me." The blue eyed doll spoke softly "You want to lock me up but like you, I don't kill innocent people...I think the only reason you actually want me locked up is so you never lose track of me. That's just you're possessive nature, you love to own things. I'm not pretty little bird with broken wings that you can cage. Let's just be friends, Jason...let's not talk about work...like the good ole' days. We were much more simple in those days."

"You have never been simple...you lied to us for years...so...why haven't I snapped your neck like a twig?"

"You can but you won't...you've had a million opportunities to kill me-"

"I know you won't say you love me the way you did years ago, Marionette." Jason blurted out the words as if he'd been lost in thought.

"I can't…" The girl responded quietly.

"So say something else…"

"Don't die." her voice rasped out her own version of 'I love you'.

"Don't die." he responded quietly, understanding entirely.

She pushed her face into his chest. The helmet she wore was hard and weighed on his chest but he didn't mind. Their entire relationship felt that way, hard and heavy. Jason's arms closed around her and he sighed softly "Let's go."

For the second time that night, Marionette found herself on the back of Jason's motorcycle. Her ponytail batted about in the wind but the mask she wore guarded her face from the night air. "Where do you want me to take you?"

"Just drop me off at the park we used to beg bruce to take us to." her voice was a rasp. In her head, Marionette had no idea what to expect when she got home. Arkham was empty. That meant Barton was free.

"When will I be able to find you again?"

"Later." Marionette said as safety disappeared behind them and the inferno surrounded everything. "Welcome to Gotham." the girl mused.

"Hold on tight." Jason instructed as he started to pick up speed. As her grip on him tightened, Marionette started to look around, taking in all of the disaster and sorrow that had been etched into her brain for so many years. Buildings that were once proud fell to the pitiful, filthy ground in pathetic shambles. It was confirmed in her head now that there was no justice in the figure called Batman. If he were worth anything...Gotham wouldn't be burning.

Though her mask offered protection, Marionette knew fear toxin lingered on the air because it lingered in the eyes of traumatized civilians. Some of them were paralyzed with fear while others were twisted and changed by it, letting the chemical make monsters real, ordinary men gave into dark thoughts and became murderers and rapists.

A woman screamed out, her cries earned a glance from Marionette "Jason stop...Stop the bike Jason!" marionette snapped beating on his back as he came to a grinding halt.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jason demanded as Marionette started to sprint toward the sound of the woman's agonized screaming.

Gravel shifted beneath her boots as she stopped at the mouth of a narrow alleyway. The woman continued to scream out as a man mounted her, forcing her down. Marionette watched the scene unfold from behind before lifting her flare gun. Jason caught her shoulder as she pulled the trigger and lit the man on fire. His body ignited and he rolled off the scrawny female. Flames caught the woman's shirt and she scurried to her feet trying to pat her top off, only to fall back to the hard ground, letting out horrible blood curdling knelt beside her, patting out the fire with her gloved hands. The sound of Jason putting a bullet in the burning man's head barely made it to Mari's ears. Her world was suddenly falling down around her. The dead never seemed to stay dead these days. The woman's head tipped back as she continued to scream and a scar came into view. It was a long deep scar the cut all the way across her skinny throat. Her hair was a mess of mahogany curls and her fingers were thin. Their eyes met for a moment and flashes of days spent in a dark room filled Marionette's spinning mind. 'Don't look at me with his blue eyes!" were the words that filled her head, over and over again.

Marionette's blood ran cold and her heart began to race. This woman had no right...no right to breathe air. Not even air filled with fear toxin. "You were a whore, Caroline...you destroyed my innocence…" Marionette's voice was breathy behind her mask. Jason stood behind her confused. Caroline wasn't coherent, her pupils dilated and she laid there motionless drawing into her own mind.

"You know this woman?"

"Give me your knife." Marionette hissed as tears started to roll down her cheeks and the taste of bile rushed up her throat.

"Who is she, Marionette?" The redhood demanded.

"Give me your knife." Mari's voice cracked.

"Not until you-" His voice was cut off when Marionette swung her body around and pulled the trigger on her weapon. Flames engulfed Jason's right leg and he let out a loud cry as he fell against the alley wall, kicking his right boot off.

He grimaced and looked at Marionette who now stood to his left. Her nimble fingers gripped the handle of the knife he kept on his hip. "Don't kill an innocent woman, Mari" Jason growled through his teeth as he shifted to the ground, hurriedly shuffling to get his pants off.

"This woman murders children." Marionette said slowly as she turned her back to him.

A small sigh slipped from Marionette's lips as she seated herself beside Caroline "You seem to have screamed the last of your voice away, my dear." Marionette cooed softly as she ran her fingertips down the woman's pale face. "I would love to stick this knife where you deserve it but I think you might enjoy that too much."

Slender digits moved across Caroline's scar and Marionette's eyes filled with disgust "Such deformity, you aren't worth the effort it would take to make you a beautiful doll." With one move of her hand, Marionette reopened that scar and the woman gagged as blood spilled from her mouth. Her body flailed and Mari whispered "Marisol stop." she slashed violently through her mother's face, able to feel the ripping flesh against her own hand as she gripped the weapon so hard her knuckles turned paper white. "This is for your own good baby, don't you see that?"

Her mind went blank and she buried the knife into her mother's chest repeatedly, violently slashing through ivory flesh that ripped open and stained vibrant crimson "Slut...SLUT...SLUT!" Marionette screamed over the sound of the knife snapping in half inside Caroline's ribcage.

All that remained of Jason's knife was the handle and a fragment of the broken blade, a loud cry slipped from Marionette's trembling lips as she slammed the rest of the blade into the former prostitutes left eye, driving it clear into her socket as tears soaked her cheeks and ugly sobs slipped from her lips.

Jason stood there shocked. The sound of another crumbling building made him grab her up by her arm "Let's get you home, Mari…" her whispered. He'd put his pants out, they remained a smoking heap beside an alleyway dumpster and he wore a pair of black boxers.

"The park." Marionette cried softly.

"Anywhere you want."

"Jason…"

"Hm?"

"Will Gotham ever recover?"

"Yeah...but it'll probably fall apart a few more times before that happens."

"Can we just...drive around for a bit?…"

"Promise you'll tell me everything later?" he mused.

"Mhm."

"Sure thing." Jason smiled weakly.

"I'm not sorry about your leg."

"I shouldn't stand in your way...I get it...you're determined just don't ever expect me to hand you a weapon again."

"Fair enough."

Once again, they were back on his bike. after awhile of silent driving, the sun had already started to come up and from the looks of things, the air was clearing and the destruction of Gotham had come to an end. Fire fighters lined the streets and people seemed to be receiving treatment for the toxins they'd inhaled. "What do you think made it stop?" Marionette asked softly as Jason stopped the bike in the parking lot of an apartment complex off crime alley. The motorcycle had started to make a strange noise and he wanted to check it out before going any farther.

"Batman." Jason hated to admit it. His rough hands pulled his helmet from his head and he said "The air is clean."

"Batman? You really think so?" Mari asked as she removed her helmet as well.

"No doubt in my mind." the raven haired man had started to check over his beloved bike.

"Hi there." a voice caused the both of them to glance to the left. She was pretty with sandy hair and bright blue eyes "What in the hell of it happened here?" her voice quipped as a hint of brooklyn caught her tone "I'm supposed ta' be movin' in here today, I drive six hours and this city is a flippin' mess, what gives?"

"Ya picked a shitty time to move here." Jason chuckled "It'll be fixed up soon."

"It better be." The blond mumbled "Nice meetin' ya both anyway but I gotta' run." she swung around on her heel and started to make her way toward the leasing office.

"Dosn't seem to be anything wrong with it." Jason stated throwing his leg over the seat.

"Think she'll want to go on living here?" Mari asked as he started driving again.

"With that attitude? I give her two weeks tops." Jason chuckled as they darted down the street. "You know Bruce must be worried out of his mind, he'll send a team out to find you, you know that."

"I'll go down to the G.P.D after I make sure everyone's okay at home and tell them to have Bruce come and get me."

"Sounds good."

Jason dropped her off right outside the woods that hid the dollmaker's hideout, placed a kiss on her lips and Marionette found herself walking through the woods all alone. Hot tears lined her eyes as the hideout she called home came into view and there...on the porch, sat Barton Mathis. "Daddy!" Marionette chimed.

Though her legs ached, Marionette broke into a full on sprint, she wanted more then anything in the world to touch him, to hug him and feel him hug her back. He was her savior. Her grip. Her strength. Her reason. "Ah, there's my little girl." his voice husked as he stood at his full seven feet.

"I'm so glad you're-" a hard slap to the face cut her off and she fell to the porch. Ragged breathing slipped from her lips as silvery tears stained her cheeks.

"You've placed your feelings above this family's safety." his eyes were cold and unforgiving "You are not the concrete doll I spent years of my life perfecting."


	16. Changes

Chapter Sixteen- Changes

Two months later

In just two months, it seemed like the train-wreck everything had become would clean itself up and get back on track. The manor was good as new, Bruce was protective as ever. After all just two months ago, his beloved daughter staggered into the police station completely naked. Mari would much rather have been wearing something but she couldn't think up an explanation for the attire Jason had adorned her in. For awhile people speculated that she'd been raped. Bruce drove himself mad for weeks trying to lay the rape rumors to rest but he almost believed them himself. Rachel demanded that Crane be questioned as to whether or not he laid hands on the teenager and Bruce agreed. With Jonathan secured in Arkham, it was no longer difficult to gain an audience with him. Crane was questioned for days much to a certain blue eyed girls sick amusement. Though Mari never claimed Crane touched her, she never said he didn't. She simply stated over and over that she remembered nothing after the fire.

"Where's the birthday girl off to?" Bruce asked calmly as Marionette made her way down the steps.

"Arkham." She answered with a glossy pink smile.

"You're spending a lot of time there lately." The blue eyed man sighed "Did you finish your school work?"

"It's all computer based Bruce, I finished everything for the next few months weeks ago." The teen responded gently "And I enjoyed my internship with Dr. Crane-"

"The man turned out to be psychotic-"

"I still love working there."

"Your internship is over." He said finally.

"Joan doesn't mind me taking notes."

"I do not want you hanging out around those monsters." Bruce snapped loudly, violently as his face scrunched up and slobber spurted from his trembling lips.

"Monsters?" Mari questioned "They are people, Bruce Wayne. People with beating hearts and memories and stories...people who-"

"Monsters who fill graveyards." he cut her off.

"It doesn't matter how narrow minded you are." the girl turned her back to him "I'm eighteen today anyway, I'll go where I please."

Bruce stood there dumbfounded, she was getting to be so out of hand. Her thoughts were so confused and he couldn't make sense of them. Perhaps spending so much time with Crane corrupted her fragile mind. Perhaps she needed to see a psychiatrist herself.

"Hello Mari." A soft voice came from the living room as Marionette strolled into the room.

"Oh, hello Tim." the dark haired beauty responded quietly as she shot the twelve year old a sideways glance.

Tim sat cross legged on the couch with a book rested casually in his lap "Happy birthday." He offered a polite smile.

"Thank you." Tim was Bruce's newest addition to the family. He was young with black hair and blue eyes. For the most part he kept to himself so Mari didn't really mind him much.

"Are you going to be gone all of today as usual?"

"I'm not always gone, Tim."

A small smile crossed his pale lips as his eyes drifted over the pages of his book "Everyone in this house would beg to differ. You're the single busiest person I have ever met."

What is his deal? The question crossed her mind but she giggled softly "Well between work, doctors appointments and helping Rachel out I do get pretty busy. As for today, I'll be back later, It would be rude of me to not be present at my own party, wouldn't it?" she raised an eyebrow as she swiped her handbag up off the recliner she stood next to "I'll see you tonight then."

"See you tonight, and Mari…"

"Hm?" she hummed sweetly looking back at him.

"Be safe."

The blue eyed girl smiled "Between you and Bruce I never catch a break, I'm not made of glass you know-"

"Not to be disrespectful, Marionette but...you might as well be."

"Oh stop it, Jason" it left her mouth in a flustered murmur before she could stop it.

Tim's bright eyes left the book in his lap for the first time since she'd entered the room.

"Maybe you should get some rest-"

"Oh please, I am perfectly fine...just a slip of the tongue."

"No, no." the child closed the book he held and placed it carefully on the coffee table as he made his way toward her "Bruce told me how much he meant to you...me being here so suddenly...and my arrival being so close to the anniversary of the day you and Jason met...I imagine it's difficult for you emotionally."

Marionette practically felt herself going cross eyed as she stared into his self assured face. How much had Bruce told this little shit about her life? He seriously told him that Jason started living in the manor on her birthday? Why? Words bubbled up to her lips, questions she'd save for a later date.

Delicate hands moved to his face as she pinched both his cheeks and smiled a pretend smile, one she perfected over the years "Listen to you, you sound so grown up." It was only a month ago, Tim started living in wayne manor but the kid asked more questions than a curious toddler and was more persistent than a Jehovah's witness. In short, when Tim kept to himself he was fine but conversation with him always left a bad taste in Marionette's mouth.

His hands willed hers away from his face gently "I'm being serious Mari, we're a family now and whatever hole this Jason Todd's death has left you with, I'd like to help you with the process of healing it up."

"That won't be necessary, Tim." her throat was suddenly dry. "I appreciate your concern more than words can say."

"I just want you to know that I'm here for you as a brother and a friend...more so than I've been told Jason was in the past."

Is he personally attacking Jason? He didn't even know him. "Thanks Tim." Mari responded uneasily. Did Bruce bad mouth Jason to this little know it all brat? That unbelievable bastard. She'd be talking to Bruce later. "See you later."

"You really should lay down."

"I will make my own choices, thank you Tim."

Sunlight cast down in bright rays turning the snow a blinding white as Mari walked outside. She rammed her key into her car door and gave it a hard turn. As she settled into the driver's seat she noticed a small box with a card placed carefully in the passenger seat.

The eighteen year old smiled as she turned the car on and got the heat going before reaching over and pulling at the envelope with her fingers.

Happy Birthday, Mari

I'm not great at this boyfriend thing

you're also hard to buy for because

there is no one like you in this world

I tried

- Jay

She placed the card in her lap and lifted the small white box slowly. Taking a deep breath she removed the top and lifted a necklace made of silver adorned with an inch long cylinder engraved with the words 'look again' off of another small note placed at the bottom of the little rectangular container.

For my girl

It's a small kaleidoscope, one you can wear around your neck

I ruined your perception of this world when I died

This is me giving you a new perception

Don't die, Mari

A warm tear slipped down her cheek as she lifted the small kaleidoscope to her eye and took in a whirlwind of beautiful colors and perfect shapes. A calmness swept over her body and her heart jumped a bit "Jason" she sniffled as she fastened the gift around her neck. The chain fell between her breasts and the kaleidoscope rested just below her bust. Gloved hands placed the card and note in her glove box for safe keeping as she started driving down the road.

00000000000000000000000000

"So it's your birthday." Crane mumbled as he stared at her through bulletproof glass. He looked a mess. Just two months and he was already several pounds thinner and his hair had grown almost to his shoulders.

"Yes but I didn't visit you just to gain an extra 'happy birthday', so don't even."

Jonathan's blue eyes shifted downward "A gift from daddy Warbucks?" The blue eyed man asked snarkily. "No...it's far too cheap...simple….a gift from him…" he laughed half heartedly "Aren't we friends, kid? I'm not allowed to tell you happy birthday but he's allowed to-"

"I'll talk to Joan about lowering your dosages." Marionette said calmly as she crossed her arms and looked him over. "You're clearly on too much of something."

"Tell me you'd love to see my mask, Kid." his words rasped causing the sentence to come out squeaky toward the end. Sweat coated his skin as he struggled slightly in his straitjacket.

"Arkham doesn't look so great on you, John."

"Hah" he offered a sickly smile "Mari" his voice held some contempt "Oh Mari had a little lamb, must be so easy, you little chameleon...you perfect little disaster" his tone became breathy "You'd fit right in here...and you'd look great doing it...but you'll never really be-belong anywhere." drool strung from his lips to the floor.

"I wish you were coherent, I need you to explain my feelings to me so I can understand them." her voice was soft as she pressed her ivory fingers to the cool glass wall separating them Crane simply stared at her, his breathing was slow "You look just like a puppet on strings."

"We'll talk soon…" blue eyes lidded as she turned her back and strided down the hallway, a violent shiver raged through her body as she pictured him alone all night.

The dim lighting and nauseatingly white walls that created Arkham were so familiar to her now. The asylum had become another home, a home that never seemed to change. "Happy Birthday Mari, it's always nice to see you, dear." Joan smiled from her desk as Marionette made her way toward her. "I am not a doctor, but..I think Crane-"

"I don't understand why you still visit the man who-"

"He didn't. Will you please look into lowering his dosages, Joan?"

The woman simply stared back at the younger "And why-"

"I strongly believe he'd be much easier to rehabilitate if he were able to communicate on an intellectual level."

"Alright, I will look into it...I've assigned a psychiatrist to his case, if she shares your opinions...his dosages will be lowered."

"Thank you...is it alright if I ask who his doctor is?" Mari asked slowly "I thought you'd be having sessions with him."

"Dr. Harleen Quinzel, she's just getting started here. Don't abuse that information, Miss Mathis. I trust you and that is the only reason we have these conversations."

"Of course Joan."

"Happy Holidays, Marionette."

"Happy Holidays, Joan."

As Marionette made her way out the door, she bumped shoulders with a young blond. "Whoops! Sorry bout' that hun." her accent snapped the eighteen year old's mind back to the apartment complex two months ago. That girl stayed in Gotham?

"It's completely alright." the Wayne heiress smiled a calm collected smile as she extended a hand to shake the other girls. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Marionette Mathis."

"Call me Harley, everyone does." The brooklyn blonde smiled as she shook Mari's delicate hand "Oh...hey!" her voice picked up happily "I remembah' you! I met ya the day I moved here! You and y'er broth'ah."

"Actually…-" her face twisted up with a small amount of irritation. Her brother?

"Nice meetin' ya, Molly! I gotta' get to work. S'my first day. Wish me luck!"

"Molly?" Marionette questioned with the raise of an eyebrow as the novice psychiatrist disappeared down a long white corridor.

Slowly, the blue eyed girl made her way out into the snow. December 24th...her birthday fell on Christmas Eve. In all honesty, she wasn't even sure if it was correct. The first six years of her life happened without mention of a birthday. After Barton found her and gave her, her very first 'doctors visit', he deterred that she was six years old and born in late december. Barton had given her a birthday along with her new name.

Not having a past made her kind of like a ghost. She wasn't born in a hospital. Prostitutes were the only witnesses and there was no legal birth certificate. As far as anyone was concerned, Marionette Mathis did not exist until Bruce Wayne took her in.

The radio hummed quietly as her car rolled up to Barton's hideout. A very excited Anton rushed up to meet her with a hug around the waist. Mari hugged the small boy close and smiled feeling more at home than she had in a long while. "Happy birthday big sis." he grinned as she scooped him up and walked inside.

"It's freezing out here." she mumbled sweetly, hugging him close, not wanting to let go.

"Happy birthday, my dear." Marcel said warmly as he placed a small cake on the table.

"You didn't have to-"

"It was no trouble my dear."

Beside the cake sat a medium sized metal box, a bow adorned the top and a padlock kept it shut. Mari slowly let Anton down and placed her hands on her hips "Is daddy home?" She knew he was, that box was unmistakably made by Barton's hand.

"Where else would I be?" Barton's voice rasped as his large hands clamped down on her slender shoulders. "Happy birthday." His lips pressed a kiss to her cheek, stubble from his chin grazed her soft skin, pricking it in a familiar way that made her feel at ease. "Go on, open it." he mumbled with a sickly smile as he closed her fingers around a key she could only assume was meant for the padlock.

Blue eyes met Bartons', he wasn't telling her something. A nervousness pooled in her belly as she sauntered toward the box. She half expected it to be Jason's head. The key slipped smoothly into the lock, one turn and the box popped open. Marionette's eyes went wide.

"A new costume." Barton proclaimed now standing right beside him "Your corset and shorts were getting to be rather impractical and so I made this for you. It offers much more protection."

It was beautiful. The base layer consisted of a skin tight pink turtle neck one piece and black stockings, the next layer was a white leather corset with black trim and detail that matched the skirt which hemmed mid thigh, and finally a pair of padded arm warmers, one pink one black, combat boots, white with pink laces, leather gloves that matched the arm warmers and a beautifully detailed gas mask that would cover the nose down, it too was white with black and pink detail. "Daddy, it's amazing." Mari smiled sifting through the articles of clothing.

"We're not done yet." he said as he placed a pink leather tool belt on the table. "There's a place for your weapons and tools here...and finally." his long fingers opened up a closed pouch.

"Needles?" She questioned.

"Portable clotting factor treatments...take them as needed, come back and get more when you run out."

"Thank you." her smile was sweet as she turned to hug her father.

"Don't thank me yet….this gift is meant to make you of greater use to me. Either you make me proud or…" he craned his head back a bit "Adrian, come out here and meet your sister!"

Marionette felt her heart drop as a blond boy her age filled the kitchen door way. His emerald eyes met her sapphire ones and a sadistic but smooth smile slithered across his ivory lips "My my….what a beautiful little sister I have."


	17. Grip

_**Chapter Seventeen-**_ _Grip_

_Something deep inside of Marionette snapped in half. A replacement? Barton had gone out and found….a potential replacement. Everyone was quiet, waiting for her response. Marcel watched beautiful glass fall to pieces in her cerulean eyes. It was apparent that she was breaking down. "Don't be rude, sweet sister." Adrian smirked "Aren't you going to say hello?"_

_Barton began "This is Adrian Pyg, his ideas are rather different from that of his father. He fits in very well here and Pyg didn't mind giving him up." He paused and glanced at his daughter. "From now on he is Adrian Glass, if you fail to keep me satisfied...he will take your place in this family." his words barely registered in her mind. Everything was a blur. Anton stood beside his big sister, looking rather worried._

_Adrian's long ivory fingers slipped beneath her chin "Sister-"_

"_NO!" it left her mouth in a strangled scream as her deft fingers swiped one of the needle's Anton liked to keep in the tool belt he wore. Marionette had no idea what chemical it held, but she knew it was deadly. The stubby legged redhead stumbled backward. Adrian caught Marionette's wrist, the needle just centimeters from his neck._

"_Mari-" Marcel started._

"_Let them go." Barton deadpanned._

"_Very nice, sweet sister…." A sadistic smirk slithered across his face "My turn." His grip on her wrist tightened as he forced her arm above her head, not that she dropped the needle. She wouldn't go down that easily._

_Adrian's free hand grabbed Mari's small throat, fingers pressing her main artery as he slammed her back down on the table. Cake flew and smashed against the floor. The girl's breathing accelerated and her new brother belted out an amused chuckle "Hmmm calm down, with your pulse skyrocketing the way it is...you'll go into cardiac arrest if you don't." His fingers combed over her cheek as the needle fell from her fingers. "Good girl." the green eyed man breathed as he pressed a condescending kiss to her forehead. "Happy birthday sweet girl."_

_Marionette slowly sat up. Her lidded eyes fell on Adrian. He stood at 6'3 and had a lean build all wrapped up in ivory flesh adorned with hair so blond it looked white. Finally her eyes met his. Crazy. He was bat-shit crazy. "I need a moment." she felt her head starting to spin. The broken murderess slipped off the table and made an attempt to calmly walk to her bedroom._

_The door closed behind her and she sighed a long sigh. Replacement. Daddy was going to replace her with that...that Pyg. Her eyes closed as hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'll use his skin for a new corset." She growled low and deep in her throat. Marionette could feel herself slipping. "Don't." She willed herself. "Don't." it was a plea. "Don't."_

_Black started to eat up her mind. There was a crash, her hands moved. The room started to spin. The floor. Another crash. Glass shattered. More and more black. The darkness ate through her busy thoughts and blocked out any logic._

_Barton opened her door to a hurricane of violence and grief. In the eye of the storm, laid Marionette. Her desk, bed, and vanity had all been turned over. Skin from her wrack, thrown on the floor. Every note, plan, list...ripped from the walls they'd been tacked to for years. On the floor, was his beloved doll. Once so clean and perfect. Now such a mess. Slowly, the doll maker knelt down and lifted her into his arms bridal style. "My doll...what on earth am I going to do with you?" He asked staring into her glassed over eyes. The girls small mouth gaped and drool clang to her chin._

"_I need you, Daddy." She squeaked._

"_I know...I made you that way."_

_Barton helped her to her feet and brushed her hair away from her face. His thumb wiped the drool from her lips "Tomorrow night...I want five people dead...you'll be showing Adrian the ropes."_

_Marionette nodded slowly. How could she ever tell him 'no'?_

"_I do not want to replace you, Doll. I've worked hard to make you perfect."_

_Another silent nod from the girl._

"_But." his tone was stern "If I have to replace you...I will ruin you...everything you are…" he growled looking into her eyes "Is mine."_

"_I should be going. I can't be late getting back to the manor."_

"_Yes, that's right." Barton said slowly, watching her walk toward the door. He knew she wouldn't be taking her gift with her. "Remember who you are."_

"_Of course…" as the door closed behind her she mused "All five of me."_

_She parked right outside the woods and bit her lower lip. Slowly, she laid her head against the steering wheel and let tears spill from her eyes. What was her life worth if Barton didn't want her? There was a tap on her window and she glanced over. Jason stood there with a hand in his pocket. Mari rolled down the window and made an attempt to dry her tears "How did you-"_

"_I knew you'd be visiting your family around this time today." the raven haired man mused. "You've been crying."_

"_Mhm." she nodded wiping her eyes with the back of her hand like a child._

"_Get in the back seat." He demanded softly._

"_Jay, I really need to-"_

"_Mari."_

"_If someone sees…"_

"_I don't care."_

"_They want to kill you, Jason!" She snapped as the tears started up again._

"_I can take care of myself, let me take care of you."_

"_Jay." she quipped._

"_Did you like your birthday present?"_

"_It's beautiful...Jay." she hiccuped._

"_You know you're pretty when you cry?" the former robin smiled as he cupped her cheek with his hand._

"_Your hands are freezing." Mari mumbled pushing his hand away._

_Jason leaned down and smiled a toothy smile as he brushed his nose against hers before stealing a kiss. She allowed it. Loved it. He could taste her tears as he mumbled "Are my lips freezing?"_

_The comment earned a giggle from his crying girlfriend "You are something else, Jason Todd."_

"_Since you won't let me hold you right this second…." Jason looked her over "I want to see you tonight."_

"_Why?" the blue eyed beauty mumbled under her breath._

"_Because."_

"_Because?"_

"_Just because."_

"_Jason you're driving me crazy."_

"_It is my specialty."_

"_I'm aware." she tapped her fingers on her steering wheel._

"_Just...say yes."_

"_Fine."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Mhm." She responded rolling her eyes "Where?"_

"_Here...you'll want to be wearing a mask…"_

"_You are such a pain."_

"_Back at'cha." He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her ivory knuckles._

_000_

_Always an enigma, so easily blended, a chameleon as Crane had called her, Marionette went from a train wreck to the princess of Gotham with ease. She stood up straight, shoulders ever so slightly hunched as to not look intimidating, her fingers, ever so delicate appeared more fragile than the crystal wine glass she held in such a dainty fashion. Never wavering, the princess received each guest with a smile that suggested he or she was exactly who Marionette wanted to see right at that very moment. Occasionally she would giggle at a poorly crafted joke and utter the sweetest thank you for every gift._

_Bathed in the warm lighting that flooded the room, Marionette was an angel all dressed in ivory and harmonious lavender. The dress flowed to the marble floor. Its long sleeves were a bit out of her usual taste but she liked the way they left her shoulders out in the open, not to mention the beautiful rose patterns made up of lace that appeared painted all up and down her arms._

_A pair of hands closed over the heiress's eyes and Marionette's petite mouth gaped ever so slightly. It was Rachel, she could tell by the callous on her right pinky. Rachel had procured the callous from a rather nasty cut about two years ago. "Guess who!" the beautiful brunette mused as her arms fell around the younger's exposed shoulders._

"_Rachel, always a pleasure." Marionette said sweetly as she turned to hug the older woman._

"_You look gorgeous." Rachel said sweetly as her fingers played with one of Marionette's curls. The nineteen-year-old drew in a sharp breath and willed herself not to snap at Rachel for touching her hair. "Are you enjoying your birthday slash Christmas-eve?" doe brown eyes met Marionette's blue ones._

"_I am." Her gaze followed Rachel's fingers until they clasped around the tiny kaleidoscope Mari had promised herself she'd never take off._

"_I've never seen this before. Was it a gift?"_

"_Yes, from an old friend."_

"_You don't usually talk about friends." The brunette teased._

"_I would if I thought there was any sense in doing so, my daily affairs have nothing to do with helping out at the D.A.'s office and- "_

"_Miss Mathis!"_

_The heiress glanced over her shoulder and met the gaze of the new D.A. "Mr. Dent, nice to see you again." She extended her hand to shake his and he pressed a kiss to her ivory knuckles._

"_Harvey." He mused and let her hand fall to her side. "Happy birthday, Marionette."_

"_Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to stop by."_

"_Awh, it's not a problem." He smiled a charming smile "You're very important to Rachel and that fact alone makes you very important to me. It's no trouble at all."_

"_Jesus Harvey" Rachel laughed "Just say you're welcome." Her arm wrapped around his and her free hand pressed against his chest._

"_There you are." A newer but still familiar voice made the heiress freeze in her place. "I've been all over this room looking for you, Marionette." Adrian's long fingers came to rest on her shoulder as Marionette bit into her lower lip. "Happy birthday, Dear heart." His ivory lips brushed the shell of her ear._

"_Who is this?" Rachel demanded playfully as she rested her head on Harvey's shoulder._

"_He is-"_

"_Her boyfriend." Adrian answered before Marionette could finish her sentence. "I can't believe you haven't told her, Dear heart, you speak so highly of Miss Dawes."_

"_Adrian!" Marionette hissed as he wrapped a surprisingly strong arm around her waist._

"_Don't be shy, Mari, he's handsome." Rachel commented as she extended a hand to shake Adrian's. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Adrian."_

"_The pleasure is mine, Miss Dawes." He grinned and it almost looked sweet as he shook Harvey's hand._

"_Harvey Dent."_

"_Adrian Glass."_

"_I can't wait to see Bruce's reaction to this." Rachel teased._

"_Oh come now, Rachel, give the man a break, Mari is after all his only daughter." Harvey interjected._

"_I absolutely cannot wait to meet Bruce." Adrian smirked as he tipped Marionette's chin up._

"_He's out on the balcony, why don't you go and introduce Adrian-"_

"_Of course." Marionette put on a pretty smile "I'll see you both later, enjoy the party." Her eyes turned icy as she snapped her gaze toward Adrian "Come on then, Dear, let's go find Bruce."_

"_It was a pleasure to meet you both." Adrian smiled as Marionette began to lead him away._

_The two disappeared into the crowd and Adrian began to glance around amazed at the sheer size of the room. Finally his gaze came back to the girl at his side "You look breath takingly beautiful, baby sister."_

"_Be quiet." She snapped as she dragged him through the ball room doors, out into the empty hallway and threw him into one of the many half bathrooms before shutting the door behind her. "Oooh Baby sister, I never expected you'd move so fast, where do you want to do this, over the sink or against the door?"_

"_What the hell are you doing?" she demanded in a harsh whisper._

"_Personally, I'd love to hear the sound that comes out of that gorgeous mouth when your exposed skin presses against that cold porcelain, the sink had my vote."_

"_Shut your mouth!"_

"_A virgin?" he snickered "Perhaps we should go up to your room then…perhaps Bruce's room would make for a more entertaining first time…yes-" he said exasperated just before the Heiress struck him hard across the face. _

_At first, Adrian only hung his head in a way that made his blond bangs hide his face. Slowly he began to look up, an electric energy ran through his emerald eyes as he shot to his feet and forced her petite body against the bathroom wall. His large hands gripped her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head as his nose pressed firmly to hers "You…will…not…strike…my…face…" he growled each word slow and aggressive "Understood?"_

"_I-" Marionette opened her mouth only to freeze up as the bathroom door swung open._

"_Honestly, Marionette." Rachel looked rather disgruntled "A bathroom is no place to lose your virginity!" The brunette chided._

"_For once I actually agree with Rachel." That voice…. there was no mistaking it was Jason's._

_Rachel crossed her arms over her chest as Jason walked up right behind her, looking a little more than pissed off._

"_Jason…" Marionette was breathless._

"_I'm every bit as surprised as you are…" Rachel said flatly "I know we all thought Jason was…" her voice trailed off "But I suppose we were wrong, he and Bruce talked this morning…I think his presence here was meant as a surprise."_

"_Surprise." The former robin growled._

_Marionette could feel Adrian smiling against her ear "We deeply apologize for being so inappropriate." His fingers laced with hers._

_The heiress glanced at her legitimate boyfriend, his eyes said he wanted to say something, do something, pull her out of the blondes arms but he couldn't. To grab her and throw a fit would be to put something out in the open that didn't belong there quite yet._

_Marionette's thoughts gathered in the back of her mind, she needed to react as if she was seeing Jason again for the first time, she needed to put on a believable show. Rachel was watching and from across the room, so was Bruce. Everyone was expecting her to cry, smile, or faint. "Jason." She squeaked out._

_Jason stared at her confused for a moment. The heiress fell unconscious against Adrian's chest. "Oh my god!" Rachel screamed staring at the nocturnal face of the closest thing she'd ever had to a daughter. "I'll go call for her doctor!" The assistant D.A. scurried past Jason and down the long corridor._

"_I've got her." Adrian mused caringly as he moved to scoop her up bridal style._

"_Like hell you do." Jason snapped snatching her away "I think I know a little more about her fainting spells than you do, ya little blonde fairy."_

"_How rude." Adrian mused "I like you, pretty boy, there's no need for such brutality."_

"_Don't make me show you brutality." Jason mumbled holding Marionette against him "I'm takin' her up to her room, seeing as you're her supposed boyfriend, you should go meet the man who raised her and leave us the fuck alone."_

"_Of course, and tell me, Jason, how do you feeling knowing I'm the boyfriend he'll accept with open arms while you're the bad boy he'll continuously change the locks over."_

"_Amused." The red hood snickered "She wants Bruce's approval like a bullet in the head."_

"_Unless you cease breathing she's likely going to be begging for exactly that." Adrian grinned turning his back to Jason as he started back toward the ball room._

_Marionette inwardly rolled her eyes as Jason laid her down in her large bed. The sound of her door locking was loud and she felt him sit down at her side, a calloused thumb rolled over her lips "How long are you going to play dead?" he hummed._

"_Until he goes away." She mumbled opening one blue eye._

"_Who the hell is he?" Jason demanded quietly._

"_My potential replacement."_

"_Unless you kill me?"_

"_It looks that way, sadly."_

"_Kill him."_

"_I don't know enough about him to win, Jay."_

"_Then I'll kill him…"_

"_You can't now that he's made his way into Bruce's life. You can't blow my-"_

"_I'll make it look like a fucking accident._

_Marionette let out a long sigh "Typical Jason Todd."_

"_The hell does that mean?"_

"_No finesse, no patience, no style…."_

"_That's debatable." Jason snickered as his fingers combed over her cheek._

"_Let me work it out…"_

"_What are you going to do?"_

"_Defect…"_

"_Are you serious."_

"_As a stroke."_

_Jason slammed his tongue into her mouth eliciting a moan from her petite trembling lips. His rough hands guided her legs around his waist as his chest smashed hard against her breasts and his hips rolled rhythmically into hers. "Jay!" she gasped against his lips as heat rushed to her cheeks._

"_Be quiet." He ordered as his hands pushed the bell of her gown up her milk colored thighs._

"_Jason!" she squeaked in a hushed tone._

"_Just-" kiss "Hush!" kiss. Jason's kisses were rough, his lips were rough, there was nothing soft about Jason Todd. Mari could feel bruises forming beneath his hands on her thighs, she could feel the redness raising up around her lips. Her delicate skin was being so brutally made over._

"_That sound!" she squealed giving her boyfriend a rough shove._

"_It's only the party." Jason cupped her cheek and stared down into her eyes "For once, just accept that everything is going to be okay." A small hum left her pink lips as he caressed her skin with his calloused thumb. "Accept that you're safe, in a safe place and no one can hurt you." His lips were just inches from hers now "If that blonde goon tries to hurt you, I'll gut him." The former robin's voice was a rasp, a gentle husk._

"_A doctor will-"_

"_Shhh." He covered her mouth with his own and it was kind, warm, it felt like home. Her slender fingers moved into his raven hair and her blue eyes closed slowly. She felt safe for the first time in a long time. The room was quiet with the exception of their lips moving together, and the occasional shift of the sheets. His tongue slipped over her lower lip, in response her tiny mouth slipped open, giving him permission to enter the wet cavern._

_Small moans filled the air as his skilled tongue massaged hers and his hands moved up and down her back "That little punk can say he's your boyfriend all he wants, but you are mine." He rasped into her hungry kisses._

_Her vibrant eyes lidded and she smiled a pretty smile "I know." Her voice cracked and glittering tears lined her eyes. "Mari, what's the matter?" The red hood asked as he wiped her tears away with his fingers._

"_I just….I never thought I'd spend another birthday with you."_

"_And you'll keep having birthdays to spend with me." Jason smirked. "I'm not goin' anywhere, you beautiful girl." His thumb pulled at her lower lip._

_She smiled as warm tears slipped down her cheeks and she leaned up and captured his lips with her own. It was the first time she'd kissed him on her own accord and Jason liked the way that felt. For twenty minutes, the pair laid there and smothered one another in hot kisses. Small exchanges sprinkled with labored breaths and what was probably the most teasing moment of Jason Todd's life._

_Her lips were so warm, so pink and wanton, the way her delicate fingers combed through his hair as if the innocent girl beneath him could think of nowhere else to touch. It had never occurred to him that a murderer could hold any kind of innocence, but it seemed Marionette could be the exception to his every logical thought. Every small move she made, made Jason want to rip her dress off, he wanted to treat her the way he'd treated any other woman that gave him the 'okay' to touch her. In his memory he couldn't find a single woman that had pressed her lips to his without it resulting in sex._

_This wasn't like any of those other times. When he looked into her eyes, he could see that sex was the last thing on Marionette's mind, there was no lust in her blue eyes, only warmth, affection and for the first time since he found out about her double life, Jason was sure she didn't fake her emotions._

_When the door slowly opened and Rachel lead Doctor Schulyer into the room, the two of them were fast asleep. Jason laid peacefully on his back, Marionette's head was rested on his strong chest, her mouth slightly agape. Rachel's narrowed eyes softened as the scene unfolded in front of her. Jason's fingers were clasped around Mari's, where her tiny hand rested near her cheek. Their breathing had synced up and for a moment, Rachel wondered why she'd worked so hard to keep the two of them apart as kids. _


End file.
